Lawyers submit petition against US sanctions on ICC head | NHK WORLD

A group of lawyers in Japan has petitioned the government to hold talks with the United States and ask Washington to withdraw its sanctions against the Japanese head of the International Criminal Court.

The lawyers are former students of ICC President Akane Tomoko when she taught at law schools in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.

In August, the administration of US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC's leadership, accusing the court of abusing its authority with malicious intent. The sanctions include a freeze on Akane's assets in the US.

In response, the lawyers' group collected 174,600 signatures online and submitted the petition and a letter of request to Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Ozaki Masanao on Thursday.

The letter calls on the government to clearly express opposition to the US sanctions and to hold concrete discussions toward lifting them.

The group says they were told by Ozaki that Japan consistently supports the ICC and believes the rule of law is important.

Group member Uematsu Kentaro says it is significant that Ozaki said that the government will deal with the matter sincerely. He expressed his gratitude to the people who signed the petition, saying that as a lawyer he is humbled.