Japan suspended head coach Eddie Jones for four games and cut his salary on Wednesday for “verbal abuse directed at local officials” during an Australian tour, removing his involvement from matches against Hong Kong later this month.

Jones will miss Japan’s Nations Championship opener against Italy in Tokyo on July 4.

The Japan Rugby Football Union said the 66-year-old Australian violated their ethics and disciplinary regulations during a Japan Under-23 team tour of Australia from April 1 to 15.

“These measures relate to incidences of verbal abuse directed at local match officials,” the JRFU said in a statement.

They said Jones had “accepted this decision”.

“I accept the disciplinary action of the JRFU relating to the U23 Japan national team tour of Australia,” Jones said in a statement.