US Sanctions ICC President Tomoko Akane Amid Ongoing Dispute Over Netanyahu Warrant

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Tomoko Akane, the Japanese judge serving as president of the International Criminal Court, according to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The action adds Akane, along with another ICC official, to the Specially Designated Nationals list. It freezes any assets they hold under U.S. jurisdiction and restricts their access to the American financial system. A temporary general license allows limited wind-down of related transactions through mid-September.

The move marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against the Hague-based court. It follows Executive Order 14203, signed in February 2025, which authorizes penalties against individuals involved in ICC efforts targeting U.S. nationals or those of close allies, including Israel.

U.S. officials have cited the ICC’s November 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as earlier investigations involving American personnel in Afghanistan. Neither the United States nor Israel is a party to the Rome Statute that established the court.

The ICC has previously described the sanctions as an attack on its independence and the international rule of law. The court maintains that its actions fall within its jurisdiction under the statute.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signaled further efforts to pressure the institution, including diplomatic outreach aimed at encouraging other countries to withdraw.