Japanese prosecutors have sought three years and six months in prison, as well as a fine of 5 million yen ($33,500 at current exchange rates) for a Russian citizen accused of supplying certain goods to his homeland without obtaining proper permission from the local authorities. This was reported at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Osaka.
According to their information, the first hearing in the case of Andrei Sova, whom local law enforcement agencies accuse of violating export sanctions against Russia, began in the Osaka District Court on October 10, TASS reports. The Prosecutor’s Office insists that “there are no mitigating circumstances” in the case, which is why they requested the maximum penalty provided for in this article. The defense, for its part, affirms that the defendant’s actions did not cause any harm to anyone, which is why it requests the suspension of the sentence while maintaining the fine. “We are closely following the process in this case,” said the diplomatic mission in Osaka, stressing that the Russian will continue to receive full consular support to protect his legal rights.
Osaka police accuse the detainee of supplying certain goods to the Russian Federation without permission from the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. He runs one of the companies registered in this city. Authorities say he sent home a container containing several jet skis, mopeds and a marine diesel engine worth a total of about 42 million yen ($260,000). This is the first time that a Russian citizen has been detained on Japanese territory on charges of violating laws related to compliance with the sanctions regime.
Let us remember that the restrictions that Japan introduced in several stages due to the situation in Ukraine affect more than a thousand people and 120 organizations in the Russian Federation. The assets of Alfa Bank, VTB, VEB.RF, Novikombank, Otkritie Bank, Promsvyazbank, Rossiya Bank, Sberbank, Sovcombank and about 40 other organizations and companies are frozen. The Japanese side approved a list of 800 goods and technologies that are prohibited from being exported to Russia, including cars worth more than 6 million yen (about $38,000). As of August 9, 2023, the supply of gasoline and diesel vehicles with a cylinder capacity greater than 1.9 liters is also prohibited.
