Eight Japanese diplomats must leave Russia by May 10 - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. April 27 (Interfax) - Eight Japanese diplomats have been ordered to leave Russia by May 10 as a retaliatory measure, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Guided by the principle of reciprocity, the Russian side has demanded that eight Japanese diplomatic employees leave our country by May 10," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on its website.

A representative of the Japanese embassy in Moscow had previously been summoned there.

"All responsibility for this kind of development lies solely with the Japanese government, which has made the choice to abandon friendly, constructive relations with Russia," the Foreign Ministry said.

"With the launch of the special military operation in Ukraine, the goals and objectives of which were clearly identified and substantiated in a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin, official Tokyo has pursued an openly hostile anti-Russian policy," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In turn, the Japanese embassy issued a statement, in particular, saying, "The current situation has been brought about by the Russian party resorting to military means."

"Responsibility for bringing Japanese-Russian relations to this state lies entirely with Russia. The statements made so far by the Russian party attempting to shift responsibility to the Japanese party are categorically unacceptable. The Japanese party again passed on these claims to the Russian party today and voiced its protest," the Japanese embassy in Moscow said.