The Japanese government sharply criticised a former prime minister today for his visit to the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, saying his action is at odds with Japan's stance on the Ukraine situation and calling him "grossly imprudent".
Japan disapproves of Russia's annexation of Crimea, and is concerned that the entry into the peninsula by former premier Yukio Hatoyama, who was travelling on a Russian visa, could be taken as a gesture in support of Russian control of the region.
Hatoyama said in Moscow before his entry into Crimea on Tuesday that he wanted to see for himself how Crimea residents were feeling about the annexation, Japan's Kyodo news agency said.
"The government has been asking him to think twice about the visit, but he went ahead and did it anyway. His behaviour is grossly imprudent and extremely regrettable for someone who experienced the office of prime minister."
Hatoyama, once nicknamed "The Alien" for his quirky comments, led the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) to a landslide election victory in 2009 that ended a half-century of almost unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Even the DPJ is trying distance itself from the former premier.
"A former prime minister visiting Crimea on a Russian visa gives rise to misunderstanding on Japan's position and there is a risk that Russia could exploit it. He can hardly escape the charge of indiscretion."
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