Japan won’t ‘provoke Russia’ by bringing up Navalny’s death, even as it continues backing Ukraine

“Japan is thinking that it should not antagonise Russia as any retaliation could be very damaging,” said Hiromi Murakami, a professor of political science at the Tokyo campus of Temple University. “Kishida and his cabinet members are keeping their distance because they fear a potential backlash.”

Navalny died on February 16 at the age of 47 in a notorious penal colony in the Arctic Circle, with Russian officials claiming he collapsed while on a walk at the gulag.

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Tributes pour in after Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny dies in prison

The Sankei newspaper said in an editorial published on Tuesday: “We cannot help but feel dismayed by the callousness our political leaders have shown regarding the matter. This is not a fitting image for Japanese politicians aspiring to be recognised as esteemed members of the international community.

“They must do more if they say they respect liberty and democracy.”

The conservative newspaper was similarly incensed over comments by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who responded to a question at a press conference by saying he would “refrain from commenting since we do not have any definitive information”.

Pressed for a reaction to Navalny’s death, he added: “The matter is of grave interest to us and we will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

Yakov Zinberg, a Russia-born professor of international relations at Tokyo’s Kokushikan University, said Russian “propaganda television channels” had not mentioned Japan in their news programmes since the beginning of the year, which suits both Moscow and Tokyo.

“Russia’s strategy is to not be too critical of Japan because they are still buying Russian oil and gas, while Japan still wants – and needs – those resources,” he told