Japan decided Tuesday to freeze the assets of nine individuals, including members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, and a related company, imposing sanctions on the organization amid its war with Israel.
The punitive measures are the first imposed by Japan since Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, triggering a large-scale conflict between the Jewish state and the Islamist group.
Japan accuses those subjected to the asset freezes of being involved in fundraising for Hamas, according to a Foreign Ministry official.