Sanseito Candidate’s Unauthorized Sputnik Interview Sparks Political Concern; Kamiya Calls for Staff Resignation

Saya, a candidate from the Sanseito party in Tokyo, appeared in an interview with Sputnik, a Russian state-owned media outlet, without authorization from her party. Kamiya, the leader of Sanseito, described the interview as a complete mistake and revealed that the party headquarters did not approve the appearance. According to Kamiya, when Saya inquired about permission to appear, a junior staff member independently gave approval without party authorization. In response to the incident, Kamiya has called for the resignation of the staff member involved. The unauthorized interview has caused concern within political circles in Japan over potential Russian interference in the upcoming elections. The situation has prompted media coverage analyzing Sputnik's role as a Russian government-linked media organization.