International Criminal Court President faces US sanctions

International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane is facing sanctions from the United States administration under President Donald Trump. The sanctions follow the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants for individuals including Benjamin Netanyahu. Akane has expressed regret over the executive order, stating it threatens the independence and impartiality of the court and deprives victims of justice.

Akane’s recent book, ‘Fighting War Crimes: The International Criminal Court Will Not Yield’, has seen a reprint due to increased interest in her role and the ongoing conflict with the US. In the text, she emphasizes that the ICC must remain a neutral defender of international law to prevent a world where power dictates justice rather than the rule of law.

Political figures in Japan, including members of the Japanese Communist Party, have called on the Japanese government to take a leading role in demanding the withdrawal of these sanctions, noting that Japan is a major funder of the ICC. While 79 ICC member states issued a joint statement criticizing the US actions, Japan did not participate in that specific statement.