<span style="color: #222222;">Japan's government is freezing the assets of 17 more Russian politicians tycoons and their relatives to step up sanctions and to put pressure on Moscow to end its military operation of Ukraine.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The list of sanction targets include 11 members of the Russian parliamentary chamber of Duma, banker Yuri Kovalchuk and his relatives, as well as billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, chairman of Renova Group, according to a statement jointly issued by the foreign, finance and trade ministries.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The move brings the number of Russians targeted by Japan's asset freezes to 61. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Tuesday the additional steps were taken in order to stop Russia's invasion (of Ukraine) as soon as possible.<br />'' <br />''<br />''Japan has previously imposed sanctions against Russian central bank, seven private banks, and Russian and Belarusian individuals and groups. Tokyo also imposed an export ban to Russia of items including high technology equipment that may be used for military purposes.</span><br />