Japanese Officials Visit Russia to Discuss Protection of Corporate Assets

Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited Russia this week, a Japanese official disclosed on Wednesday.

The main focus of the meeting was to discuss with Russian counterparts the protection of assets belonging to Japanese companies operating in Russia amid the protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict. The move comes as many Western companies have withdrawn or scaled back their operations in Russia since the outbreak of hostilities.

Japan seeks to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of its businesses, avoiding risks of asset confiscation or operational difficulties. This represents one of the rare diplomatic engagements between Tokyo and Moscow since the war in Ukraine began.