Japan regrets Russia's extradition request for ICC president

Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has requested that Dutch authorities extradite Tomoko Akane, the president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and eight other ICC officials. The office also sought the handover of these individuals from relevant countries.

In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In response, Russian authorities placed ICC officials, including Akane, on their wanted list. In December 2025, a Moscow court sentenced Akane and others to prison terms ranging from three years and six months to 15 years for their roles in issuing arrest warrants for individuals including the Russian president.

Separately, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump sanctioned Akane, a Japanese citizen, in August of this year. This action was taken due to the ICC's investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. military personnel.

A senior Japanese government spokesperson stated that Japan finds Russia's actions regrettable, emphasizing that measures targeting individuals connected to the ICC are considered unfair and unacceptable.