Pro-Moscow Japan lawmaker visits Russia in defiance of gov't advice

Just tell him to stay there!

Just tell him to stay there!

Hear! Hear!

A convicted crook who should still be in jail.

close ties, based on decades-old cooperation, have been harmed by Japan's decision to join the United States in anti-Moscow sanctions.

No, they were harmed by Putin invading Ukraine. Even with all Russia's other provocations, and its occupation of Japanese islands, ties were "reasonably" good until then.

And I agree with the above posters: Muneo Suzuki should stay in Russia.

Rudenko also told Suzuki that Japan's stance does not serve its national interests and runs against the will of the Japanese people, the ministry said.

Sure they know but you cant ask much from a vassal state and their puppet ruling party.Japan is not China, she can't dictate anythings on her own will. One day the US military occupation continue on their soil, the people of Japan were under that constant danger. I think very few Japanese politicians dares to speak for the soul of Japan. I know one, his name is Denny Tamaki, the governor of Okinawa who is fiercely fighting to kick US occupying forces out and travel to China to seek their ancestor roots. Let's hope Mr. Suzuki can do something good.

elephant200Today 10:05 am JST

Rudenko also told Suzuki that Japan's stance does not serve its national interests

Upholding freedom and opposing tyranny is in everyone's national interests, regardless of the country involved. Otherwise, you end up in a situation like Hitler's occupation of the Sudetenland:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_ofCzechoslovakia(1938%E2%80%931945)

and runs against the will of the Japanese people, the ministry said.

I'd love to see the data that Rudenko is apparently referring to here. All the polls I've seen have shown overwhelming support for Ukraine by the people of Japan.

EastmanToday 10:10 am JST

what is good outcome from it for Japan?

The same as for everyone else: Putin withdraws his forces immediately, pays his reparations, and submits to a war crimes tribunal along with his subordinates.

I would follow the advice of my own country's department issuing my passport. In his case he may want to be reading https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/info/pchazardspecificinfo_2023T067.html#ad-image-0

There goes his next election.

A great team. Maybe Suzuki should propose allowing Russia to station its troops on Hokkaido and Tamaki should offer China to station its troops on Okinawa. That way we will have a balancing of interests in the future of Japan. Oh wait, where will we put the North Korean troops?

Prices of gasoline and kerosene here in Japan are through the roof. The easiest cure is Russia. Winter is coming and it seems like its going to be a severe one.

For Japan to fail to maintain relations with Russia over Ukraine would be abysmally stupid. Ukraine has NOTHING to do with Japan's security UNLESS it infuriates Russia over its stance on the issue, which won't help Japan NOR Ukraine.

@Pacificpilot: Your idea is a good one@

let's see him shedding crocodile tears again...

Average retail price of kerosene in Japan as of January 2023, by prefecture (in Japanese yen per 18 liter drum)

https://www.statista.com/statistics/894089/japan-kerosene-retail-prices-by-prefecture/

We only import 9% of Russian oil.

"Putin withdraws his forces immediately, pays his reparations, and submits to a war crimes tribunal along with his subordinates."

Wow...okay. Sorry to awaken you from your pipe dreams, but could I inject just a fraction of Reality into this discussion? Downvote me all you want...

According to the New York Times (not exactly what you'd call a "pro-Russia" source of information, I hope, lol) on September 30, 2023: "When both sides' gains are added up, Russia NOW controls nearly 200 SQUARE MILES MORE territory in Ukraine than at the start of this year."

Did you comprehend that? After spending hundreds of billions of dollars, after hysterically hyping up Ukraine's vaunted "counteroffensive" and the West's "superweaponry" for months, and after untold deaths on the battlefield...Russia now has MORE Ukrainian land conquered than at the start of the year!

Is this what gets Putin to fall into your clutches? His GAINING territory? Okay...

Like the farce in Canada's parliament, two stood up ovation and mass applauding a man known as Yarsolav Hunak, an Ukrainian immigrant who was a SS solider of the Nazi Germany army veteran. It was totally kicking up a Russophobia, the house speaker thank his service in W.W.2 of fighting"The Russians". Was that ridiculous?

Anything that is anti Russian is right is good. Canada,Japan and the other European members all were the same. They don't have the rights to reject that madness because all of them were being a vassal state of U.S.

“Why can’t opposition parties win?” -because they have the political sense of a house fly.

Pro Russia or not you’d think the whole probably not good optics at the moment side of it would pop in their head

Hito BitoToday 12:25 pm JST

Did you comprehend that?

Is this what gets Putin to fall into your clutches? His GAINING territory? Okay...

Your comment makes no sense in response to mine (perhaps you misunderstood it.) Putin should have NO Ukrainian territory at all. He should, as I said, withdraw his forces immediately.

His invasion is illegal and barbaric, and he and his forces are committing war crimes.

Thats innovative thinking on the behalf of the innovation party. LOL

Why any of the opposition is usless in Japan. One thing about this party should be mentioned this party has more incommon with right wing factions of the LDP than other oposition parties.

Kinsugi.....

There goes his next election.

You have no idea how popular Mr Suzuki is for his pork barrel projects in Hokkaido. He will never lose an election.

We only import 9% of Russian oil.

That doesn't include Russian oil that is sold via India, China or other countries. Russian oil off loaded then reshipped is no longer Russian. It is now more expensive Russian oil that Japan and the EU can buy without breaking their own ridiculous, failed sanctions.

The Kremlin ordered him to go, so he must go, no other explanation.

It’s amazing what Putin can get people to do, from this guy all the way to trump. As usual with Putin, there are consequences if you don’t follow orders.

Those of us here for long enough will remember him for being arrested, tried and convicted for taking millions of Yen in bribes about 20 years back.

No surprise that a corrupt sleaze like that would be taking orders from Putin.

Taking bribes rings a bell... yes thirty years ago he was in the LDP, so just following that groups basic policy lol you do realize

Mr Suzuki understands life’s reality

Ryukans are more closely DNA related to Japanese…

……

What a laughable assertion!

From his Wikipedia page.

In 1999, while Suzuki was the Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary to the former Prime Minister Obuchi, he pressured the Foreign Ministry to fund the Japanese-Russia Friendship House (nicknamed the "Muneo House"), which became a scandal in 2002 when it was revealed.

He left the LDP in 2002 and was arrested later that year for suspicion of accepting bribes from two Hokkaidō companies

Suzuki again! That man is wired to a Mars bar.

Ah, Suzuki Muneo. He never fails to entertain us with his antics. After returning to Japan, he was questioned with regards to his comments, made while in Russia, that "Russia will win the war in Ukraine". Apparently, he mentioned the word "cease-fire" as a crucial component of Russia's victory, with the word supposedly having being "omitted" by the Japanese media. This clown needs to mind his own business.