Rubio vs ICC heats up: US penalises Prez Akane; Japan, Netherlands condemn ‘unfortunate’ sanctions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio sanctions ICC President Tomoko Akane, triggering a rare diplomatic backlash from Japan as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi calls the U.S. move “very unfortunate.” Japan and the Netherlands push back against the U.S. sanctions, with Dutch officials reaffirming support for the International Criminal Court and Akane. The escalating Rubio-ICC showdown comes as Akane warns U.S. sanctions could threaten the court’s operations and even “jeopardize its very existence.”