Japan protests Russia's extradition request for ICC president Tomoko Akane
Russia's Prosecutor General's Office asked the Netherlands and other countries to detain and extradite nine ICC officials, including president Tomoko Akane. Japan's government called the move unfair and unacceptable and said it would protest further.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has asked the Netherlands to extradite nine International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, including the court's president, Tomoko Akane, and said on Thursday it sent similar requests to "a number of other countries". Anadolu AgencyN “The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said on Thursday it also sent requests to "a number of other countries" seeking the detention and extradition of the officials, including ICC President Tomoko Akane.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ South China Morning PostN “the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office had requested that Dutch authorities extradite International Criminal Court president Tomoko Akane and eight other officials” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 2The Moscow City Court convicted the nine in absentia in December 2025 of offences including knowingly bringing an innocent person to criminal liability, unlawful detention and attacks on internationally protected persons or institutions, with sentences of three and a half to 15 years. Bloomberg, carried by the South China Morning Post, dates the sentencing to 2025. South China Morning PostN “She and other ICC members were tried in absentia and sentenced to prison terms by a Moscow court in 2025.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “The Moscow City Court found the nine guilty in absentia in December 2025 of offenses including knowingly bringing an innocent person to criminal liability” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2Russia's action is linked to the ICC's 2023 arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and children's rights commissioner Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Anadolu AgencyN “In 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ South China Morning PostN “Akane is on Russia’s wanted list, along with other ICC officials, over the court’s 2023 arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Centre · 2On Friday, Japan's Deputy Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said at a regular news conference that Tokyo had repeatedly told Russia that measures targeting ICC-linked individuals were unfair and unacceptable, and that it was regrettable Russia had nonetheless sought their extradition. South China Morning PostN ““Time and again we have conveyed to the Russian side that measures targeting individuals connected to the ICC are unfair and unacceptable.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “Government spokesman Masanao Ozaki said the measures were "unjustified and unacceptable," according to Kyodo News.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2Ozaki said Japan hopes to take appropriate action, including further protests to Russia, while keeping in contact with the ICC and other states parties. South China Morning PostN ““We hope to take the appropriate path of action, including issuing further protests against the Russian side regarding this unjust measure” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “respond appropriately, including by making further representations to Russia” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2Akane, a Japanese national, is also under US sanctions. Washington has accused the court of unfairly targeting the US and Israel, and in July launched a campaign to dismantle what it called the threat the ICC poses to US sovereignty. Anadolu AgencyN “The US in July launched a "campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty."” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ South China Morning PostN “Akane has also been sanctioned by the US following accusations that it has unfairly targeted the US and Israel in the wake of its investigation into the conflict in Gaza.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Centre · 1Bloomberg reported that the sanctions were a rare public point of friction between Tokyo and Washington. It said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was initially criticised for calling the action only "regrettable", then raised it with President Donald Trump in September, and told parliament on Friday that Japan has consistently supported the ICC and will continue to. South China Morning PostN “Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi initially came under fire for not condemning the action beyond calling it “regrettable”.”““We have consistently supported the ICC in accordance with our efforts to uphold the rule of law and we will continue to do so,” Takaichi said” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 1Japan is a State Party to the Rome Statute, which established the court; Russia and the US are not. Anadolu AgencyN “While Japan is a State Party to the Rome Statute, which established the court in 2002, Russia and the US are not.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report Japan's official protest as the news hook, placing it alongside Russia's request and US pressure on the ICC. The South China Morning Post's Bloomberg copy stresses Japan's dilemma over a US ally; Anadolu leads on Russia's request and the convictions.
- Emphasis
- Ozaki's remarks, the in-absentia sentences, and US sanctions on ICC officials.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Anadolu omits Takaichi's political difficulty and Japan–US friction; the Bloomberg copy omits the specific offences and the sentence range.
- Charged language
- “unjust measure”“unjustified and unacceptable”
- For example
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“raising questions about how Japan will support the court as its closest ally works to dismantle the institution.” — South China Morning Post
“Moscow says it has requested detention, extradition of ICC President Tomoko Akane and 8 other officials sentenced to prison terms of up to 15 years” — Anadolu Agency
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Russia asked the Netherlands to extradite nine ICC officials including president Tomoko Akane.
- The officials were sentenced in absentia by a Moscow court.
- Japanese spokesperson Masanao Ozaki criticised the request on Friday and said Japan would protest further.
- Akane is also under US sanctions.
Russia place
Russia's Prosecutor General's Office says it has requested the detention and extradition of the nine ICC officials, who were convicted in absentia by a Moscow court.
“The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said on Thursday it also sent requests to "a number of other countries"” — Anadolu Agency
Tomoko Akane person
Akane is the target of the request and a Japanese national; the coverage includes no direct comment from her. She is also under US sanctions.
“US sanctions on ICC officials including Akane, who is a Japanese national.” — Anadolu Agency
International Criminal Court organisation
The court issued the 2023 arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova that underlie Russia's action. Coverage carries no ICC statement on the extradition request.
“In 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova” — Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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South China Morning PostN · · via Bloomberg
Japan angry after Russia seeks extradition of ICC chief targeted by US
Neutral Bloomberg copy in the SCMP presenting Japan's protest against Russia within wider Russian and US pressure on the ICC and Japan's awkward position toward Washington.
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Russia seeks extradition of 9 ICC officials convicted in absentia
Neutral Anadolu's report leads with Russia's request and the convictions, then relays Japan's response via Kyodo and notes US sanctions.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 9 Oct 06:30 First South China Morning PostN Japan angry after Russia seeks extradition of ICC chief targeted by US via Bloomberg
- 9 Oct 07:45 +1h 15m Anadolu AgencyN Russia seeks extradition of 9 ICC officials convicted in absentia
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.