Russia said Wednesday it will ban the entry of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and many high-ranking officials for an indefinite period in a fresh round of sanctions against Japan, amid rising tensions between the two countries over the crisis in Ukraine.
The entry ban, announced by Russia's Foreign Ministry, targets 63 Japanese citizens, also including Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.
Widely seen as a retaliation for the Japanese government's series of punitive measures against Russia since it started its attack on Ukraine in late February, the ministry accused Tokyo of launching an "unprecedented anti-Russian campaign with unacceptable rhetoric" and hurting its economy and international prestige.