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Anti-Russian sanctions

Tokyo unlikely to lift anti-Russian sanctions soon — Japan’s former PM

According to Yukio Hatoyama, Japan is heavily influenced by the US in the matter of sanctions

© ITAR-TASS/Yuriy Smituk

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MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama says Tokyo will hardly abandon anti-Russian sanctions soon.

"Japan is heavily influenced by the US in this matter, so I don’t think sanctions will be lifted soon," Hatoyama told a news conference on Friday in the wake of his trip to Crimea.

Hatoyama added that he intended to promote a change in Tokyo’s sanctions policy. "After returning home, I plan to publish a booklet on the real state of things in Crimea," he told reporters. "I hope my fellow countrymen will be better informed about the true state of affairs," the former Japanese Premier said, adding that "over time, this could impact the government’s policy."

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