Ukraine War: Japan called out by Canada over imports of Russian seafood & energy

Amid a series of sanctions on Russian exports by the United States and Europe, Japan imported a record amount of seafood from Moscow last year and continues to import Russian timber and liquefied natural gas from ports in the Russian Far East, despite criticism that such exports are helping to fund its war against Ukraine.

While other governments have largely remained uncritical about Japan’s sanctions policies to date but Canada has recently expressed its disappointment over the amount of seafood Japan imported from Russia last year, South China Morning Post reported

The issue is likely to be discussed at the G7 summit in Hiroshima later this month.

Tokyo imported a record 155.2-billion-yen worth of marine products from Russia in 2022, Japan Times reported citing the data from the Finance Ministry. It also said that the country’s continued reliance on Moscow for its seafood supply despite a deterioration of relations over the war in Ukraine.

While Japan did impose economic sanctions, including banning imports of vodka and lumber, on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine last year, marine products were exempted as Tokyo deemed the adverse effect on domestic businesses would be too great, Japan Times reported.

According to a Kyodo News report, poor catches in domestic waters contributed to the high demand in Japan – at the same time as Russian fishermen enjoyed larger catches off the country’s eastern coast.

Snow crabs accounted for the largest single product brought into Japan. That may partly be due to strong demand but is also a result of Russian exporters expanding into new markets after being banned from the US and other Western markets.

Japanese importers’ preference for cheap Russian seafood has not gone unnoticed in Canada, with ministers and provincial government leaders raising the issue with Tokyo, The Canadian Press news agency reported.

Clifford Small, a politician with the Conservative Party of Canada representing a maritime constituency in Newfoundland and Labrador, has called on the government to pressure Japan to ban imports of Russian crab to demonstrate solidarity among G7 member states, SCMP reported.

In response to the growing pressure, Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng confirmed that the issue had been raised with Japan, with her office issuing a statement: “We are thankful for Japan’s continued efforts to work with allies to isolate Russia, and have asked Japan to consider Canada’s sustainable, ethical and premium snow crab to replace its current supply of Russian products.”

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