Japan has rejected a US call to raise tariffs on Russian oil imports.

Japan will not raise tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, according to Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato, according toBLOOMBERG .

The HEAD of the department emphasized that Japan has committed itself within the World Trade Organization (WTO) not to apply tariffs that exceed the limits it sets and to treat all member countries fairly as long as they comply with their obligations under WTO agreements.

“It would be difficult for us to raise tariffs, say, to 50% just because a particular country imports oil from RUSSIA,” Kato explained.

He noted that Tokyo is studying what type of pressure on Moscow might be most effective and is closely coordinating its actions with its G7 partners.

Russia considers the sanctions illegal. The Kremlin has called US demands that other countries stop importing Russian oil threats . Authorities , however, have claimed that the country has succeeded in reducing its dependence on hydrocarbon exports.

At an online meeting on September 12, the G7 countries, which also includes Japan, discussed sanctions against Moscow. At the event, the US called on its partners to consider imposing tariffs of up to 100% on CHINA and India, as they purchase Russian oil, Bloomberg reports. According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, this is necessary if the US partners are "genuinely committed to ending" the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.

Japan itself also purchases Russian oil, but in small quantities: according to the country's Ministry of Trade, in June it imported about 1% of its oil from Russia. Tokyo also imports Russian liquefied natural gas and views the Sakhalin-2 project as a key source of LNG supplies, Bloomberg notes.

The US government made a similar call to NATO countries to stop buying oil from Russia, stating that they could impose "serious sanctions" against Moscow if they do so. Turkey and Hungary are unlikely to support this proposal, The New York Times reported.

ReadPIONERPRODUKT .by inTELEGRAM .