Japan will reduce its imports of Russian coal in stages and eventually aim to stop importing it, industry minister Koichi Hagiuda told a press conference Friday.
Hagiuda made the remark after the leaders of the Group of Seven major countries said in a statement Thursday that they plan to impose sanctions against Russia in the energy field in a coordinated manner, in the wake of the suspected massacre of civilians in Ukraine.
"We will keep in step with our G-7 partners," the minister said.
"We will respond appropriately in close cooperation with the international community, including the G-7, so that Russia will end its aggression as soon as possible," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a separate press conference.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to hold a news conference on the matter at the prime minister's office on Friday evening, Nippon reports.
