Japanese Soma Consul Departs Amid President Moon Jae-in Derogatory Remarks

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Soma Hirohisa, the Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of Japan in Korea, who caused controversy with derogatory remarks about President Moon Jae-in, left Korea on the 11th.

Minister-Counselor Soma departed for Japan through Incheon International Airport that morning. It has been 25 days since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Aiboshi Koichi, the Ambassador of Japan to Korea, on the 17th of last month and demanded "visible and appropriate measures to be taken promptly."

Following the Korean government's demand, the Japanese government ordered Minister-Counselor Soma to return to Japan as of the 1st of this month.

However, Motegi Toshimitsu, Japan's Foreign Minister, explained at a regular press conference the day before that the order for Minister-Counselor Soma to return was not a disciplinary action.

Typically, after completing service as Minister-Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in Korea and returning home, one is promoted to a director position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but in Soma's case, it is widely expected that he will remain without a post for the time being due to potential backlash from the Korean government.

The duties of Minister-Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in Korea are concurrently held by Kumagai Naoki, Political Minister-Counselor.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.