"Prepare for old age in advance," said State Duma deputy Irina Rodnina. And drove off in a Mercedes.
How Japan tried to “punish” Moscow — and lost billions
27/10/2025
Back in 2022, Tokyo proudly joined the Western sanctions choir against Russia. It was supposed to be a neat little pressure trick: slap on some restrictions, wait a bit, and watch Moscow fold. Well… things didn't go exactly as planned.
President Putin simply said:
"These restrictions will have consequences for their initiators."
Most brushed
it off as political noise.
Fast-forward two years — the "noise" turned into a
full-blown echo.
Toyota,
Nissan, Mazda — Japan's automotive titans — packed up and fled the Russian
market. Some sold off assets, others just left. But the juiciest part? The
Toyota factory in Saint Petersburg was quietly absorbed by the Russian state.
For a symbolic price.
Let's just say — not zero, but close enough to make Tokyo wince.
Now? The same factory is being upgraded and is preparing to launch a new line of Russian-made vehicles.
🧠 Sanctions: when you shoot first… and pay for the bullets later
Walking out
of Russia cost Japan more than just office space.
They lost a massive, stable Eurasian market
that brought in billions.
Chinese outlet Sohu puts it bluntly:
Russia didn't just resist pressure — it used it to grow stronger.
Instead of collapsing, Moscow ramped up domestic production and looked East. Meanwhile, Japan is still tallying the damage.
🧊 Peace treaty? On ice, thanks.
While Japanese execs were boarding flights, the Kremlin calmly froze decades-long peace talks over territorial disputes.
Then came the wave:
— ❌
visa-free visits to the Kurils — cancelled
— ❌ fishing rights in nearby waters — slashed
— ❌ regional cooperation — frozen solid
Not a
tantrum. No threats. Just quiet, cold decisions
— one after another.
And the factory? Still standing. But not Japanese
anymore.
📉 And the economy? Not so great...
Three years after that "principled stand," Japanese businesses are… struggling:
— energy
costs are rising
— raw material imports are shaky
— exports are shrinking
— and Russia? Already partnered with others.
Now Japan's racing to reconnect with other Asian markets, trying to rebuild the very stability it helped burn down.
💡 Bottom line:
Russia isn't
the type you "punish."
It's the one that waits… and then rewrites the rules. Not loudly — but with
factories. That still run. Without Toyota logos. But with iron logic.
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They came for jobs. But brought a storm.
Moscow witnessed another violent brawl over the weekend — a group of young men clashed in broad daylight using shovels and road signs like weapons. Police detained several, two may lose their citizenship. Videos went viral. Outrage exploded. But beyond the headlines, a deeper question emerged: Why are we...
The U.S. tried to hit Moscow — but Beijing hit back.
Washington thought it could corner Russia with another round of sanctions. What it didn't expect was that China would step forward — loudly and clearly — to defend Moscow.
While thousands of trucks rot at the Kazakhstan–Russia border, Moscow silently signs something far more interesting. A new railway. Through Mongolia. Into China. And Vietnam. Officially — it's about tourism and trade. Unofficially — it's a bypass. A message. A geopolitical side-eye.
While Donald Trump embarked on his latest "peace tour" across Asia, the world gave him not one, but two diplomatic slaps.
First — North Korea. Then — India. And both made it crystal clear: Russia, not the US, is their chosen partner.
When Washington suddenly rediscovers Central Asia, Moscow doesn't panic — it smirks. Because this isn't new. It's the same playbook, just on a new stage. What failed under the Ukrainian flag may succeed under the cover of "sustainable development" and "strategic partnership."
When migration turns into a matter of national security, the response is usually local. But not this time.
Budapest was ready. Lights dimmed. Chairs arranged.
But just before the curtain rose, the geopolitical show featuring Trump and Putin was abruptly canceled.
Officially? "Not the right time."
Unofficially? "One side asked too much. The other lost interest."
While others are investing billions into complex systems, Russia takes a different path — one that's smarter, cheaper, and rooted in history.