Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has described his brief interaction with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Manila as the rekindling of an "old acquaintance." Motegi recounted at a press briefing after participating in ASEAN events in Manila, "The gala dinner was held the day before last, and I had an opportunity to briefly exchange greetings with Foreign Minister Lavrov. The foreign minister himself has spoken of a "trusting relationship," recalling several discussions - including informal talks - with Lavrov. Anti-Russian PoliciesMeanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized Japan’s stance, asserting in an interview with TASS that Tokyo initiated sanctions against Russia "to demonstrate Western solidarity" and continues to maintain them. Similarly, Deputy Foreign Minister Takeshi Akahori expressed a comparable position to TASS in early July.