The list of sanctioned individuals includes Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as well as four deputy defence ministers: Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Aleksey Krivoruchko, Timur Ivanov, and Dmitry Bulgakov.
The Japanese sanctions also hit Russian defence entities, including Rosoboronexport, Russian Helicopters, and the United Aircraft Corporation.
This is yet another round of sanctions, which comes in response to the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Moscow launched the op on 24 February to support the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which have been suffering from an eight-year war waged by Kiev.