(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) Japan said Monday it would not accept the results of Crimea's weekend referendum on seceding from Ukraine and urged Russia not to annex Crimea. "The referendum was illegal and against Ukraine's Constitution. Our country does not approve the result," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference here Monday. "Japan will strongly urge Russia to fully abide by international law completely, respect Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity of its territory, and not to annex Crimea," Kyodo news agency quoted the top government spokesman as saying. Suga's remarks come after preliminary results of Sunday's referendum showed more than 95 percent of voters in Ukraine's Crimea region backed joining Russia and seceding from Ukraine. As for possible sanctions on Russia, Suga said Japan will cooperate with other Group of Seven countries. In reaction, US President Barack Obama spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, insisting that Crimea's "referendum", a term the White House specifically put in quotes , "violates the Ukrainian constitution and occurred under duress of Russian military intervention," and "would never be recognized by the United States and the international community." According to a readout of the call, Obama "emphasized that Russia's actions were in violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," and the US and its European partners are "prepared to impose additional costs on Russia for its actions." For his part, German minister minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he he cannot understand how after seven decades after the end of the second world war one begins to correct the borders in Europe. "Where will this end? This cannot remain unanswered," he said. Steinmeier said there will be a reaction from the EU foreign ministers today, a reaction that will be understood clearly in Russia and on the other hand leave the way open to avoid steps that could lead to a further split of Europe. Canada also decided not to recognize the results of crimea's referendum seceding from ukraine
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