Reuters behind Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that Japan’s foreign ministry has decided to expel some Russian diplomats from the country in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Japan is working with the United States and European countries to put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Recently, Russian diplomats have been expelled from Western countries, incl. due to allegations of intelligence activities, Kyodo comments.
Japan’s decision is likely to result in the expulsion of Japanese diplomats from Russia, and the Tokyo government is carefully considering who should be considered persona non grata in Japan, anonymous agency sources say.
At a press conference on Friday, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Koichi Hagiuda said Japan would try to get rid of its dependence on Russian coal by limiting imports from that country and finding other suppliers. The final stage is the complete cessation of gas imports from Russia.
“We will continue to work to reduce our dependence on Russia by emphasizing the diversification of energy sources, including the use of renewable sources and nuclear energy,” Hagiuda said.