Tokyo. File photoTOKYO, Apr 14Japan's lower house of parliament approved draft amendments to customs laws to remove Russia's most-favoured-nation country status, which involves a temporary increase in duties. The vote was broadcast on the house's website.
The Foreign Ministry called Japan an accomplice of neo-Nazism. The most favored nation extended to Russia as a member of the WTO, according to one of the main principles of which is to provide one country with the same foreign trade conditions that other members of the organization enjoy. The exclusion of a country from the most favored nation regime means, first of all, an increase in the percentage of customs duties for its goods. For Japan, this will mean that customs duties, in particular, on such goods imported from Russia as crab meat will increase from 4% to 6%, on sea urchin from 7% to 10%, on salmon from 3.5% to 5%. %. At the same time, tariffs for such important import items as liquefied natural gas or coal will not be raised, since they were zero before Russia was included in the most favored nation regime. Tariff increases will be introduced before the end of March 2023. In addition, the measures provide for increased control in the field of currency regulation, in particular, regarding transactions with crypto-currencies, so that this method does not become a kind of loophole for circumventing the sanctions imposed against Russia. To date, in the light of the events in Ukraine, Japan has introduced several packages of sanctions against Russia. Japan's sanctions list against Russia includes 499 individuals, including leaders of the country, deputies, business representatives and military personnel, as well as nine banks and about 40 organizations from Russia. As part of the sanctions, it is expected to freeze all assets of these individuals in Japan if they are identified.The ban on imports to Japan from Russia will affect 38 goods. In addition, 130 organizations from the Russian Federation were banned from exporting about 300 goods, including semiconductors, radars, sensors, lasers, communications equipment, recording devices and their components, software, components for tractors, gas turbine engines for aircraft and their components, equipment for oil refining. From April 5, a ban was also introduced on the export of luxury goods to Russia, which, in particular, include luxury cars, motorcycles and expensive alcohol, jewelry and clothing. In addition, cigars, perfumes, cosmetics, furs, suitcases, briefcases and bags, carpets and dishes, glassware, works of art, watches and other goods are prohibited from exporting and must not exceed 40,000 yen (about $350). In total, the list includes 19 categories of goods of various types. In addition, a ban was introduced on the import of 38 products from Russia, including vodka, beer and wine, boards, logs and wood chips, as well as some types of machinery. The volume of exports to Russia from Japan in 2021 is 862.4 billion yen (7.5 billion dollars). Cars and trucks account for roughly 40% of exports, worth 357.5 billion yen ($3.1 billion). The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan believes that the average price of cars supplied to Russia is below 6 million yen, so the impact of the sanctions will be limited. in Ukraine could increase by about 3.6 billion yen (about $29.7 million) per year.
