Japanese media "Order to return Soma after 'disparaging President Moon'"... Ministry of Foreign Affairs "facts"

▲ Hirohisa Soma, Japanese Embassy in Korea

The Japanese government announced that it was true about the Nikkei Shimbun report that the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered the Japanese Embassy in Seoul to return home to Hirohisa Soma, who caused controversy with inappropriate remarks about President Moon Jae-in.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "We have confirmed that the Nikkei article related to the Soma Corporation is true," and said, "The specifics are a matter for the Japanese government to reveal."

Soma has not left Korea yet, but it is known that he will return to Japan soon.

Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga had commented on Soma's use of sexual language to demean President Moon and South Korean diplomacy, calling it "extremely inappropriate remarks and regrettable as a diplomat."

Last month, Soma Corporation made an inappropriate remark at a luncheon with a domestic media outlet, which caused a stir, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demanded the Japanese government to take appropriate action promptly.