Russia bans entry of nine Japanese citizens, including FM

MOSCOW - Russia has banned Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya and eight other Japanese citizens from entering the country in a retaliatory move, the Russian foreign ministry said Monday.

The decision was made in response to Tokyo's "ongoing so-called sanction measures" against Russia, the ministry said in a statement.

The list also included Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Masashi Nakagome and former Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Kuninori Matsuda, among others.