駐韓公使に帰国命令　「不適切発言」で火種

　外務省は１日付で、在韓日本大使館の相馬弘尚総括公使に帰国命令を出した。政府関係者が２日、明らかにした。韓国の文在寅大統領の対日政策をめぐり不適切な発言をしたとして韓国側が反発した経緯があり、事実上の更迭とみられる。
　相馬氏は７月、韓国メディアとの懇談の席上、東京五輪開会式に合わせて検討されていた文氏の来日に関して「卑俗な性的表現」を用いたと報じられ、韓国側が抗議した。菅義偉首相は「極めて不適切な発言」と表明。ただ、相馬氏の在任が異動の適齢期とされる２年を超えたことを踏まえ、日本政府は「定例の人事」として扱っている。（2021/08/02-11:06）

Japan's Foreign Ministry on Sunday ordered Hirohisa Soma, deputy head of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, to return to Japan, government sources said Monday.
   The order was an apparent dismissal of Soma, who in July reportedly used a sexually explicit expression when talking about South Korean President Moon Jae-in's possible trip to Japan for the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony.
   South Korea lodged a protest over Soma's remarks, which were also rapped by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as being "extremely inappropriate."
   Still, the Japanese ministry issued the order as "a regular personnel change," given that Soma had served in the post for more than two years, a typical timing for a transfer.
   A South Korean foreign ministry official welcomed the order, saying that Seoul had demanded that Tokyo act accordingly and hopes that Soma will leave South Korea promptly.