Japan Expels 8 Russian Officials

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government announced the expulsion of eight Russian diplomats and trade officials on Friday over allegations of atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori summoned Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin to inform him of the decision. The diplomats do not include the ambassador. It is extremely rare for Japan to expel any foreign diplomat. Tokyo made the decision in line with expulsions of Russian diplomats by Western countries in response to the alleged killings of civilians in the Kyiv area. "We made the decision comprehensively in light of factors including the Ukrainian situation," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a press conference. In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would take retaliatory measures, according to Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency. Mori told Galuzin that killing civilians is "a war crime and absolutely unacceptable." Mori also rejected Moscow's assertion that the killings were fake information disseminated by the West, saying, "Propaganda is totally unacceptable." In response, Galuzin set out unilateral claims by Russia, according to Japanese officials. It is believed to be the first expulsion of a foreign diplomat by Tokyo since 2012 when the Syrian ambassador to Japan was expelled in response to a massacre of civilians. On the possibility that officials at the Japanese Embassy in Russia will be expelled, Japanese Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Hikariko Ono said the ministry will make every effort for the protection of Japanese citizens and business activities in Russia. END