Japan treads diplomatic fine line over US campaign to end ICC ‘threat’

Japan has voiced concern about the United States’ campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), exposing a diplomatic bind for Tokyo as it seeks to defend a tribunal it has long championed without provoking its most important security ally.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday that Japan “places great importance on the eradication and prevention of serious crimes, as well as the upholding of the rule of law”.

He added that Japan, the largest financial contributor to the court, “has consistently supported the ICC in its capacity as a permanent international criminal tribunal”.

The ICC’s current president, Tomoko Akane, is Japanese, and analysts point out that Tokyo has also strongly advocated for the court and the rule of law in the international community.

While Japan was likely to avoid a direct clash with Washington, observers warned the episode would deepen doubts about US reliability and force Tokyo to weigh its international-law commitments against its dependence on Washington’s security umbrella.