A Japanese lawmaker who recently visited Russia and told local media he is "100 percent" confident that Moscow will win the war on Ukraine left an opposition party Tuesday after the party decided to remove him.
Muneo Suzuki, a 75-year-old House of Councillors member, who has long championed close ties with Russia, visited the country this month without prior notice to the Japan Innovation Party.
"I made the decision (to leave the party) because it was revealed that the party and I have different values about diplomacy with Russia" Suzuki told reporters after submitting his letter of intention to quit.
He said he will stay on as an upper house member and continue his political activities as an independent.
Earlier in the day, the party decided on Suzuki's removal at a meeting of its senior members amid calls for strict disciplinary action against him.
All party members are obliged to inform it about any official overseas trip. Suzuki visited Russia from Oct. 1, but the party only received his notice the following day.
During the trip, the veteran lawmaker, who hails Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido and used to belong to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, met with Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
It was the first known visit by a Japanese lawmaker to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine began in February last year.
Suzuki made the visit despite a Japanese government advisory urging its nationals, including legislators, to avoid traveling to Russia "regardless of" the purpose of their visit.
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