Japan unsure how Russia will execute rouble payments for its gas sales

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki says Tokyo does not know how Russia will handle the required rouble payments for its energy sold to “unfriendly” countries.

“Currently, we’re looking into the situation with relevant ministries as we don’t quite understand what is [Russia’s] intention and how they would do this,” he said in a parliament session.

Japan – which Moscow branded as an unfriendly nation along with the US and EU states – accounted for 4.1 percent of Russia’s crude oil exports and 7.2 percent of its natural gas exports in 2021.