TOKYO, August 05. /ITAR-TASS/. The Japanese government has expressed regret about Russia’s decision to postpone Russian-Japanese deputy ministerial-level consultations because of Tokyo’s imposition of additional sanctions, the Kyodo news agency reports on Tuesday.

The news agency quoted a source from the Japanese government as expressing regrets about Russia itself shutting the door to a dialogue.

“The postponement of the meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and his Japanese counterpart Shinsuke Sugiyama in Moscow further clouds the prospect of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Japan,” Kyodo said.

Earlier on Tuesday, a deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s information and press department said Moscow found “such meeting [in late August] out of place in view of new anti-Russian sanctions”.

“In fact, Russian-Japanese consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers were planned in Moscow at this date,” Maria Zakharova said. However, against the background of sanctions “consultations are postponed. The Japanese side was informed about this” she added.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government approved additional sanctions against Russian because of Ukraine. Almost immediately, a list of 40 individuals and two companies was made public. “Assets held in Japan by those directly involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea or the instability in eastern Ukraine will be frozen. Japan will also limit imports of Crimea-made products,” Kyodo reports on Tuesday.