Japan retaliates by designating Russian consul persona non grata
The Foreign Ministry building in Tokyo. The Japan 黑料社/Asia 黑料社 Network
TOKYO — Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi announced Tuesday that Japan declared a Russian consular officer in Japan as persona non grata.
The move was made in retaliation for Russia doing the same to a Japanese consul at the Japanese Consulate-General in Vladivostok late last month.
The Russian government temporarily detained the Japanese consul on Sept. 22, claiming that the consul illegally obtained classified information. The consul was then declared persona non grata and was forced to leave Russia.
Tokyo had lodged a protest and warned Moscow it would take “appropriate measures.”
RELATED STORIES
Article continues after this advertisementRussia unilaterally scraps visa-free exchanges with northern territories
Japan protests suspected air incursion by Russia
