The Japanese authorities freeze the issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation. This decision was made in connection with the actions of the Russian side in Ukraine, said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Similarly, the assets of financial institutions of the Russian Federation and the export of goods for the military sector fell under the sanctions.
It is worth noting that since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Japan has not issued tourist visas to Russians. However, from March 1, the state is ready to accept foreign citizens arriving for business purposes, for study or work. Thus, the authorities’ ban also applies to requests for long-term visas by applicants from the Russian Federation.
Japan has always been quite cautious when it comes to the entry of travelers from third countries. In the fall of 2021, it was planned to soften the rules for visiting the state, but the spread of omicron made its own adjustments – it was decided to leave the borders closed until the end of February 2022.
Earlier, the authorities of Latvia and Lithuania announced the suspension of the issuance of visas to Russians. Representatives of the Belgian Cabinet even called on the EU member states to block the possibility for Russian citizens to receive entry documents to Europe.