FOCUS: Takaichi ICC stance shows restraints on Japan dealings with Trump's U.S.

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's indirect defense of the International Criminal Court in her U.N. General Assembly debut exposed the diplomatic restraints on Tokyo from its alliance with Washington under President Donald Trump.

Takaichi went to New York facing calls from lawmakers to offer a more robust response to U.S. sanctions including on the court's president, Japanese national Tomoko Akane, after her initial reaction, such as just saying the measures were "very unfortunate," was criticized as being too weak.