Full Breakdown
International Criminal Court (ICC) Prepares for Potential U.S. Sanctions Amid Escalating Diplomatic Tension
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: ICC Takes Defensive Measures Against Anticipated U.S. Sanctions
Over the past year the tribunal has migrated its office software from Microsoft to the German open-source platform openDesk, arranged alternative banking and health-insurance providers, and begun paying staff several months in advance to guard against payroll disruption.
Background & Context
The United States, under President Donald Trump, has signaled a “sweeping campaign” to sanction the ICC as a whole. Earlier in 2025 the administration imposed sanctions on more than a dozen ICC officials, including the court’s president, Japanese Judge Tomoko Akane, and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye. The move follows the ICC’s 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that created the ICC in 2002.
Data & Statistics
- Thirteen ICC officials have been sanctioned, including nine of the court’s eighteen judges (AA report).
- Japan contributes 15.9 % of the ICC’s budget, the single largest donor (The Guardian analysis).
- A poll conducted on September 14 found 53.6 % of Japanese respondents deemed the government’s response “inappropriate.”
- Japanese media coverage between August 19 and September 19 included 21 articles in the *Yomiuri Shimbun* and 61 in the *Asahi Shimbun*.
Official Statements & Responses
- The ICC’s deputy prosecutor emphasized that the court’s recent system overhaul is a “work in progress” aimed at preserving operational continuity.
- Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen warned that “new sanctions are possible” and announced that the Netherlands has asked the European Commission to prepare a blocking statute to protect the ICC from further U.S. measures.
Criticism & Opposition
- Former defence minister Gen Nakatani, co-chair of the Nonpartisan Parliamentary Association for Reconsidering Human Rights Diplomacy, argued that “the rule-based order is Japanese diplomacy’s cornerstone and its bedrock of national security,” criticizing the government’s response.
- The association called for an official protest against the sanctions and their immediate withdrawal.
On-the-Ground Reports
In a phone interview scheduled for August 23, Judge Akane said, “I suppose that my VISA credit card, even one issued in Japan, can’t be used. Due to the sanctions, the private Gmail would be deactivated.” She added that she is using EU-based systems to evade the restrictions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the timing of the U.S. announcement. No definitive date has been confirmed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The I.C.C. repeatedly attempted to assert authority over nationals of the United States and other countries that have not consented to its jurisdiction or ratified the Rome Statute,” — Marco Rubio
- “Japan will deal with the situation by continuing communication with relevant nations, including the U.S.” — Sanae Takaichi, Japanese prime minister
- “Within the European Union, we stand strong together, but outside of it, there are individual countries that feel the US is increasing the pressure, and they cannot simply ignore that,” — Tom Berendsen
What’s Next
- Japan’s prime minister is expected to address the ICC again at the upcoming UN General Assembly session, emphasizing Japan’s “rule-based” foreign-policy stance.
- The Netherlands plans to submit a formal request to the European Commission for a blocking statute, a tool that could shield EU entities from secondary U.S. sanctions.
- The ICC will continue its transition away from U.S.–linked services, completing the migration to openDesk and non-U.S. financial providers over the next several months.