Soft Response to US Sanction on ICC

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, issued a statement which announced sanctions on two officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including its president Tomoko Akane from Japan. Rubio referred to dismantlement of the ICC, if necessary, urging member countries to leave the court. Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, expressed regret on the U.S. decision without any criticism. 

In his statement, Rubio accused the ICC of its abuse of power against U.S. interest. “The ICC has repeatedly attempted to assert authority over nationals of the United States and other countries that have not consented to its jurisdiction or ratified the Rome Statute,” Rubio said in the statement. It explaines that the sanctions are based on an executive order of President Donald Trump in February 2025, which imposed sanctions on the ICC.

 

The ICC has been taking tough stance against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, issuing an arrest warrant for him in November, 2025. It is supposed that Trump, politically backed by pro-Israeli evangelicals, has been frustrated with the ICC. There is a speculation that Trump, who started the war in Iran, was afraid of indictment by the ICC after he leaves his office. But the sanction on ICC officials may violate Article 70 of Rome Statute, which includes “impeding, intimidating or corruptly influencing an official of the Court” in jurisdiction of the court.

 

Akane was elected to the first Japanese president of ICC in 2024. The arrest warrant for Netanyahu describes that he is “responsible for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing attack against the civilian population.” She insisted that the ICC would sincerely promote justice in the world of law in her press conferencein Japan in June 2026.

 

It is likely that her asset in the U.S. will be frozen with the sanction. Internet account of Amazon, Apple or other companies may be closed. Her family cannot enter the U.S. It is also possible that she cannot attend any meeting of the United Nations. “Hopes of the people to preserve justice through rule of law can be facing a deadlock,” Akane said about the sanction in an interview of Tokyo Shimbun.

 

Prime Minister Takaichi left a short comment on the issue. “It is very regretful. I will deal with this, maintaining communication with related countries including the United States,” said Takaichi to the press. Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement which evaluated efforts of the ICC to prosecute and punish the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.

 

The response of Takaichi government was too weak for Japan to show its determination for democracy and rule of law. A multi-partisan league of lawmakers who discuss diplomacy for human rights issued a statement that accused the sanction “with strongest words.” “Denial of the organization which judges genocide or crime of aggression cannot be tolerated,” said a co-chair of the league, former minister of defense Gen Nakatani. The league is going to submit a statement to Takaichi, demanding U.S. to retract sanction on Akane.

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