Japan Opposes EU Proposal to Seize Russian Assets in 2025
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Japan has declined a European Union proposal to seize around $30 billion of frozen Russian assets. The decision was reported by Politico Europe, citing sources within the EU’s foreign action service.
Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated that Tokyo lacks the legal jurisdiction to appropriate the Russian assets.
Earlier in October, Politico reported that European member states of the Group of Seven (G7) were pressing Japan and the United States to seize Russian assets that were frozen following the start of Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine.
Following the onset of the special operation, the EU, Canada, the United States, and Japan collectively froze approximately $300 billion in Russian assets. Only $5 to $6 billion of this amount is held in the United States, with the majority located in Europe. Around $210 billion of Russia’s assets are held in Euroclear, the international securities settlement and custody system based in Belgium.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously warned that Moscow would take retaliatory measures if the West proceeded with plans to confiscate these assets.
