International Criminal Court at The Hague
Credit: Tony Webster [CC BY 2.0]

Gen Nakatani, a veteran MP in Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party, has urged Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to protest more strongly and demand that Washington withdraw the measures.

Mr Nakatani said there was no justification for the ICC and its president, Tomoko Akane, to face US “political coercion and sanctions”.

His intervention comes weeks before Ms Takaichi is expected to travel to the US for the United Nations General Assembly, where she may meet President Donald Trump.

Mr Nakatani, who heads a cross-party group of lawmakers working on human rights and diplomacy, plans to submit its demands to Ms Takaichi’s chief government spokesperson by mid-September.

He said Japan’s alliance with the US and its commitment to the rule of law should not be “a choice of one or the other”.

“Being docile and not saying what needs to be said at a crucial time as an ally, (Japan) would even lose trust from the United States,” Mr Nakatani said.

Ms Takaichi has faced criticism over her handling of the issue, having described the sanctions as “unfortunate” and said they were incompatible with Japan’s policy.

Washington has accused the ICC of exceeding its mandate and imposed sanctions on about a dozen court staff in retaliation for investigations involving Israeli officials in Gaza and US military personnel in Afghanistan.

The measures freeze assets held in US jurisdictions and bar affected officials and their families from entering the US.

Ms Akane said last month that the sanctions had not intimidated her or affected her work, and pledged to protect the ICC, its judges and staff and their operations.

She called on Japan and other ICC members to defend the court and persuade Washington against further escalation.