Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has censured Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for having caused suffering to many of his fellow citizens, says an article published on the website of The Nikkei newspaper on Sunday.
"Why is it that everyone criticizes Russian President (Vladimir) Putin, but no one bashes Zelensky? He has caused suffering to many Ukrainians," the former prime minister said, speaking at an event organized by Muneo Suzuki, a member of the upper house of parliament, in Tokyo on November 18.
"The Japanese media practices a one-sided approach, they act in accordance with Western sources of information. I can't shake the feeling that they use only American and European media publications," Mori noted.
In addition, Mori expressed the opinion that the US has taken a one-sided position on the situation around Ukraine, which affected Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's stance on the issue.
Yoshiro Mori, 85, was Japan’s prime minister from April 2000 to April 2001.
"I don't quite understand why only President Putin is criticized while Mr. Zelenskyy isn't taken to task at all. Mr Zelenskyy has made many Ukrainian people suffer," Mori told a political gathering in Tokyo.
The former premier also lashed out at Japanese news outlets, saying their "one-sided" reporting on the war in Ukraine gives him the impression they "only rely on reports from Europe and the United States."
Mori made the remarks at a gathering related to Muneo Suzuki, another veteran lawmaker known for close ties with Russia and his efforts to resolve the issue of Russian-held Japanese islands off Hokkaido.
In February last year, Mori came under fire after telling an Olympics-related gathering that meetings involving women tend to drag on. He was replaced in the chief organizer role by Seiko Hashimoto, a former female Olympian.
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