Japan's ambassador arrives at the Russian Foreign Ministry
Japan's Ambassador to Moscow Akira Muto, who was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, has arrived at the ministry's building on Smolenskaya Square, a TASS correspondent reports.
He ignored reporters' questions, proceeding into the diplomatic department without comment.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, answering a question from TASS, said that Russia had summoned Japan's ambassador after Tokyo's protest over Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to the island of Iturup. However, the Japanese embassy "hesitated" and said that the diplomat would not be able to visit the ministry either on August 14 or on August 17, without ever clearly explaining the reason.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that after Lavrov's words Akira Muto "suddenly felt better" and would arrive at the Russian foreign policy department on August 18.
