Photo/Illutration The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on June 21 (Amane Sugawara)

Russia leads the pack among diplomats when it comes to racking up parking violations and unpaid parking tickets, according to data from the National Police Agency.

About 2,000 vehicles in total carry a diplomatic plate, known as a “blue plate,” which belong to foreign embassies and consulate offices.

In 2018, Russian diplomatic plate holders committed 2,396 parking violations--the most among all diplomats. They made up about 60 percent of all parking violations committed by diplomats.

In a distant second, Chinese blue plate holders committed 222 parking violations, the agency said.

The number of parking violations by Russian diplomats declined in 2019 to 1,111 cases.

But that was still much larger than the second-worst offender, once again China, which had 242 violations.

Even though the number fell again in 2020, Russia was still in the lead with 306 parking violations, while Egypt came in second with 176.

Russia also leads in unpaid fines for illegal parking.

In fiscal 2018, there were 1,140 cases in which a Russian diplomatic plate holder did not pay a fine and the five-year statute of limitations had passed.

There were 482 cases in which a Chinese blue plate holder ignored their fine and the statute of limitations expired. It was the second largest.

In 2019, there were 1,101 such cases for Russia, and 416 cases for China.

The Asahi Shimbun asked the Russian Embassy in Japan by email why Russian diplomatic plate holders committed so many violations and ignored paying their fines.

As of the evening of June 21, the Russian Embassy had not replied.

Since last fall, the Diet has discussed the issue of foreign diplomats committing parking violations with impunity.

Holders of diplomatic plates are exempt from paying gasoline taxes when they fill up their vehicles at the pump.

While foreign diplomats enjoy diplomatic immunity, the Foreign Ministry stopped issuing the certificates to lawbreaking vehicles starting in May this year if their owners had not paid their fines in full.

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