Reuters reported the information.Bessent made the remarks following a meeting with Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato during the annual International Monetary Fund and G7/G20 financial meetings in Washington.“Minister Kato and I also discussed important issues pertaining to the U.S.-Japan economic relationship and the Administration's expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy,” Bessent wrote on social media.Kato responded that Japan would coordinate with other G7 countries to help achieve a just peace in Ukraine.Despite the G7’s joint commitment to gradually phase out Russian oil after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Japan continues to import Sakhalin Blend, a strategic oil by-product covering about 9% of its LNG needs. Meanwhile, the U.S. is promoting its liquefied natural gas to allies, including through the $44 billion Alaska LNG project.On September 12, Japan introduced a new sanctions package on Russia, including a cap on the maximum price for Russian oil imports.