RECALL OF JAPANESE HIGH-RANKING DIPLOMAT

[Anchor Lead]

A Japanese newspaper reported that the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Japanese Embassy in Korea who made an inappropriate and disparaging remarks about President Moon Jae-in was ordered to return to Japan. The Korean foreign ministry also confirmed the recall of the high-ranking diplomat.

[Pkg]

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul was recalled home. Hirohisa Soma sparked controversy when he made sexually derogatory remarks about President Moon Jae-in. Seoul's foreign ministry substantiated this report from Tokyo. However, the ministry pointed out, the details are left up to the Japanese government to disclose, and that the senior diplomat is expected to leave the country promptly as ordered by his government. Soma made inappropriate and disparaging remarks about the South Korean leader at a luncheon with a local reporter in mid-July. The foreign ministry has been demanding the Japanese government quickly take proper measures for the comments. Even Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said that Soma’s remarks were extremely inappropriate.

[Soundbite] Yoshihide Suga (Japanese Prime Minister (Jul. 19)): "In regards to the incident, I think it is an extremely inappropriate and regrettable remark as a diplomat."

The comments were made unexpectedly during a time when the two countries were discussing President Moon's participation of the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony. Some believe this controversy may have derailed plans for a bilateral summit.