TOKYO, March 4. /TASS/. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya as well as eight other citizens of Japan, who have been denied entry to Russia as a retaliatory measure, finds this decision unjustifiable, but considers communication with Moscow necessary.

"It is completely unacceptable to shift the responsibility on Japan," stated Iwaya, repeating Tokyo's position that the situation in Ukraine was the original cause of Japan's measures against Russia. He added that Japan plans to lodge a protest with Russia, expressing dismay in this regard.

At the same time, Iwaya stressed the importance of maintaining dialogue with the Russian side. "Relations between Japan and Russia are currently difficult, but there are many issues that need to be resolved, especially between the diplomatic agencies, so there are objectives for which communication with Russia is necessary," he said.

"From this point of view, I find it regrettable that I am banned from entering [Russia]. <...> We would like to continue engaging with the Russian side in order to properly manage our relations," Iwaya added.

On March 3, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that, in response to Japan's sanctions policy, it was banning entry to nine Japanese citizens. Among them were Iwaya, Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Masashi Nakagome, former Ambassador to Ukraine Kuninori Matsuda, Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Shohei Hara, Head of the JICA Office in Ukraine Hideki Matsunaga, as well as the presidents of IHI Corporation, Isuzu Motors Limited, Prodrone, and Cyberdyne.