US Continues Pressure on ICC: Japanese President Tomoko Akane Slapped with Sanctions | WPN World People News

On the 18th, the U.S. government imposed a new round of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), targeting current Japanese President Tomoko Akane and Senegalese Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. This marks the latest in a series of sanctions directed at ICC judges and human rights groups under Executive Order 14203, signed by Donald Trump on February 6, 2025. The measures include freezing any assets held by the two individuals within U.S. jurisdiction or connected to the U.S. financial system, restricting their visa entry, and prohibiting U.S. persons or entities from engaging in transactions with them.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denounced the ICC as a "corrupt and fatally politicized" institution, accusing it of abusing its authority and exceeding its mandate. The U.S. Department of Justice also issued a letter reaffirming that it does not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction over citizens of countries that are not parties to the Rome Statute. The U.S. sanctions against the ICC are widely seen as direct retaliation for the arrest warrants issued in 2024 against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.

In response, the ICC strongly condemned the U.S. sanctions as a "blatant attack" on the court's independence and the international rule of law. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed that the situation is "extremely regrettable" in a media interview. Japanese Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura further noted that as one of the ICC's largest financial contributors, Japan will continue to support the court's efforts to uphold the rule of law in the international community. Several other global leaders—including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa—issued statements urging the U.S. to lift the sanctions and stressing that judicial bodies must operate independently without external pressure.

In March 2023, while serving as a pre-trial judge, Akane was placed on Moscow's criminal wanted list and sentenced after issuing an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Now facing U.S. sanctions as well, she has emerged as a judicial symbol of standing up against major global powers.