The Japanese government said Monday it will coordinate with the other Group of Seven countries in addressing the situation in Russia following a short-lived uprising by the Wagner mercenary group, adding the development warrants "serious attention."
"We would like to respond to the situation by closely working with the G-7," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters, referring to the rebellion that appears to have dealt a blow to the authority of Russia President Vladimir Putin amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the war launched by Moscow in February last year.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference he has not heard of any major clashes in Russia following the rebellion, but the government will make efforts to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens residing in the country.
While refraining from commenting on the possible impact of the uprising on Putin's rule and the war in Ukraine, Matsuno said, "We will continue to closely watch the Wagner Group's moves and Russia's domestic situation with serious attention."
The rebellion was aborted on Saturday when Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group that had been fighting alongside the Russian military in Ukraine, said his troops would stop their advance on Moscow to avoid "shedding Russian blood."
A flurry of diplomatic activity took place as tensions heightened, with the G-7 foreign ministers agreeing on Saturday during phone talks to closely coordinate their response as they discussed "urgent challenges the international community is facing," according to the Japanese government.
The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, plus the European Union. Japan is currently serving as the rotating chair of the group.
U.S. President Joe Biden held a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday and reaffirmed "unwavering U.S. support, including through continued security, economic, and humanitarian aid," the White House said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a TV interview on Sunday that the uprising showed "real cracks" in Putin's authority.
"We can't speculate or know exactly where that's going to go. We do know that Putin has a lot more to answer for in the weeks and months ahead," he said.
