A former Japanese defense minister has issued a formal request for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to take a stronger stance against recent U.S. sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC). The sanctions, which include measures against the court's president—who is a Japanese national—have been characterized by the former minister as a direct challenge to the international rules-based order.

The former defense official argues that the Japanese government should demand that Washington withdraw these sanctions immediately. The request highlights a growing tension between Japan’s diplomatic commitment to international legal institutions and its strategic alliance with the United States. While the U.S. has historically maintained a critical stance toward the ICC, the inclusion of a Japanese official in these sanctions has prompted domestic calls for a more assertive diplomatic response from Tokyo.

Prime Minister Takaichi has not yet issued a formal response to the former minister's demand. The situation remains a point of interest for international observers, as it tests the limits of Japan’s ability to balance its support for global judicial bodies against its primary security partnership with the United States. No further details regarding potential government policy shifts or official diplomatic communications have been released at this time.