Japan envoy won't be expelled from Russia

TOKYO, Apr 28 (TASS): Japanese Ambassador to Moscow Toyohisa Kozuki is not among the eight diplomats who are to be expelled from Russia, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Thursday.
"I would like to refrain from comments on personal information concerning the eight diplomats, but Ambassador Kozuki is not among them," he said, adding that Russia's decision to expel eight Japanese diplomats is unacceptable. He placed responsibility for the dramatic deterioration of bilateral relations entirely on the Russian side. According to Matsuno, a corresponding protest has already been conveyed via the embassy in Moscow.
On Wednesday, the Russian foreign ministry declared eight Japanese diplomats personae non grata on the basis of the principle of reciprocity.
According to the ministry, it summoned a representative of the Japanese embassy to say that official Tokyo had "embarked on an openly hostile anti-Russian course" after the beginning of Russia's special operation in Ukraine.