TOKYO: The Russian ambassador to Japan, Mikhail Galuzin, is predicted to depart his put up in November, with out specifying his successor, Japanese media quoted Russian “sources” as saying.
His departure comes amid strained bilateral relations over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that started in February and Japan’s full participation in Western sanctions towards Moscow.
Galuzin, 62, assumed the place of ambassador in March 2018. He’s recognized for his experience in Japanese affairs, having held diplomatic posts in Japan 4 occasions because the days of the Soviet Union.
Galuzin joined the Russian Overseas Ministry in 1983, and served as Minister and Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Japan from 2001 to 2008. He additionally served as Russia’s ambassador to Indonesia from 2012 to 2017, earlier than being appointed to Japan by President Vladimir Putin in January 2018.
Galuzin entered the Ministry of Overseas Affairs of the Soviet Union in 1983. From 1983 to 1986 he served on the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Japan, from 1992 to 1997 the Russian Embassy to Japan, and from 2001 to 2008 Minister of the Embassy of Japan,
Galuzin is firmly dedicated to Moscow’s place on points associated to its conflict on Ukraine and the islands managed by Russia and claimed by Japan, often called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kuril Islands in Russia.
In early October, he was summoned to the Japanese Overseas Ministry after it ordered a Russian diplomat primarily based in Sapporo to depart in retaliation for Moscow’s expulsion of a Japanese consul the earlier month.
Galuzin mentioned on the time that such a transfer would solely additional deteriorate bilateral relations.
Galuzin had mentioned in an unique interview with ANJ that Japanese sanctions on his nation would trigger injury to Japan. Russia has suspended its talks with Tokyo to signal a peace treaty to resolve the territorial dispute and issued selections banning dozens of Japanese politicians, lawmakers and media individuals from getting into Russia.
In an interview with Arab News Japan, Galuzin criticized Japan for “incorrectly making use of broad sanctions,” but in addition mentioned that the cooperation between the 2 nations has been “very useful and mutually helpful for many years.”
Galuzin additionally warned towards Japan forming nuclear alliances with others and towards involving NATO in East Asia. “We expect the coverage of the US and its allies, together with Japan, to contain NATO within the Asia-Pacific area points may be very harmful as a result of, wherever NATO was concerned, there isn’t a peace, no stability and no prosperity. Have a look at what occurred in Iraq, Syria, and Libya. Yugoslavia was destroyed and divided.
“As a substitute of Asian groupings, the US tries to create a bunch of US-centered coalitions like AUKUS, Quad, US-Japan, US-(South) Korea and US-Australia army alliances. They’re closed constructions that divide the area, not consolidate it. We suggest that Asian nations think about whether or not it’s good for the area’s future to welcome NATO right here,” he mentioned.
On present Japan-Russia relations and future prospects, the ambassador mentioned Russia sees Japan, the G7 and different European nations’ positions as primarily based on “double requirements” as a result of they didn’t beforehand communicate out towards the US’ “previous aggression” towards nations like Yugoslavia.
“For example, the American aggression towards Iraq was primarily based on allegations that Iraq had arms of mass destruction, which turned out to be a lie. Nonetheless, they attacked and destroyed Iraq, and lots of of hundreds of harmless individuals have been killed, which led to the Center East changing into a hub for … widespread worldwide terrorism,” he mentioned.
“The G7 nations, together with the Japanese management, misinterpreted the objectives and duties of our (Russian) particular army operation in Ukraine and fully ignored an apparent truth that an enormous and really actual risk was coming from the Ukrainian authorities coverage towards Russia,” he informed Arab News Japan.
“After the 2014 bloody coup d’état, which led to an unlawful regime change in Ukraine, the society there was educated to hate all issues associated to Russia, together with language, tradition, traditions, frequent historical past and relations, destroying tens of millions of ties between individuals,” he mentioned.
Furthermore, he claimed that radical Ukrainian forces, whom he labeled as Nazis, had seized energy and declared conflict on all the things associated to Russia, particularly in what is called the Donetsk and Lugansk individuals’s republics. These breakaway teams had rejected the coup not solely as a result of they thought of it unlawful, however because of the regime tried to ban the Russian language in Ukraine, known as to oust all Russians from Crimea, and reduce all ties with Russia, he added.
“That regime of Ukrainian Nazis additionally acquired an enormous quantity of deadly arms from NATO to assault the inhabitants, primarily of Russian origin, killing 14,000 individuals and injuring lots of, together with kids. They prompted widespread devastation in that area. It has been ongoing genocide for the final eight years that no one has paid consideration to besides Russia,” in line with Galuzin.
“The Kyiv regime had rejected the Minsk agreements on peaceable settlement within the jap a part of Ukraine.”
Galuzin mentioned that the Russian authorities believed a potential harmful nuclear conflict might be ignited if Kyiv joined NATO, which had a number of nations armed with these weapons.
Galuzin claimed that Russia discovered paperwork displaying the Ukrainian regime, in cooperation with the US, making ready for “the manufacturing of organic weaponry, counting on greater than 30 army organic amenities situated in Ukraine and managed by the Pentagon.”
