(Reuters) – Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it was expelling eight Japanese diplomats in a retaliatory move as it criticized Japan for taking an “openly hostile anti-Russian course”.
The ministry said it had summoned the Japanese Ambassador and told him the eight diplomats must leave Russia by May 10.
Tokyo expelled eight Russian diplomats earlier this month in a rare move it said was in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
(This story corrects second paragraph to show the ministry summoned a Japanese embassy representative without specifying title, not the ambassador)
(Reporting by Reuters)
