Japan has put a halt to coal shipments from Russia

Japan said on Friday that it will no longer buy Russian coal and that eight Russian diplomats had been expelled for “war crimes” in Ukraine.
The decision comes as Ukraine’s allies step up their pressure on Russia in the wake of claims that Russian soldiers killed civilians near Kyiv.
“In flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, Russian armed forces have killed people and targeted nuclear facilities. “These are atrocities that will never be pardoned,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

“We will stop Russian coal imports,” Kishida said, pledging to find alternatives and begging for “understanding and participation” from Japanese residents.
He also mentioned new asset freezes and restrictions on Russian imports, including as equipment and vodka, and indicated that Tokyo will back efforts to investigate Moscow’s behaviour at the International Criminal Court.
The expulsion of eight Russian diplomats from the embassy and trade office in Japan was announced by Japan’s foreign ministry earlier this month.
The verdict has no bearing on Russia’s ambassador, Mikhail Yurievich Galuzin.