Russian authorities have detained a Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage, accusing him of gathering information for Tokyo on Moscow's defense capabilities.
According to reports, the reporter was Yuki Imai (transliteration) of the "Hokkaido Shimbun". He was detained in Sakhalin (formerly known as Sakhalin in China) in Russia's Far East, only one day before he left Russia. He was later transported to Moscow, where a court ordered him to be detained pending trial.
Japan said it was still seeking details about the arrests and had not yet been able to contact Imai.
The arrests come amid further tensions between the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands (called the Kuril Islands in Russia) over which Russia and Japan have disputed sovereignty in August.
Russia's official TASS news agency reported that Imai "acted on instructions from the (Japanese) national intelligence agency" to collect information on personnel involved in a special military operation in the Kuril Islands, citing authorities.
The Kuril Islands are located between Hokkaido in northern Japan and Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. The archipelago is currently under the jurisdiction of Russia, but the four southernmost islands are claimed by Japan, which calls them the "Four Northern Islands."
Video released by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) showed three masked men in black uniforms bursting into a hotel room and handcuffing a man. The video then shows the man being taken aboard a plane and later appearing in the defendant's box at a Moscow court. The video does not indicate when he was detained, nor does it provide a specific date for the court hearing.
According to another Russian news agency, Interfax, Imai will be detained until December 12 before the case will go to trial.
In Russia, those found guilty of espionage can be jailed for up to 20 years.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Tuesday (October 13): "It is regrettable that Tokyo uses journalists stationed in Russia with foreign correspondent status to collect information aimed at undermining our country's security."
"We have to point out that today's incident is not an isolated incident," she added, without naming other journalists or media organizations allegedly involved in similar activities.
Japan has not commented in detail on the arrests. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference on Wednesday (14th) that Japan only learned of the arrest after the news was announced and had not yet contacted the reporter.
Imai's past reports have covered Russia's relations with North Korea (North Korea) and Sakhalin's living conditions.
The Hokkaido Shimbun published a report on the arrests without naming the reporter. In response to a BBC inquiry, the newspaper said: "We are still confirming the details of the incident. Ensuring the safety of journalists is our highest priority."
The dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands has lasted for decades. This is the main reason why Moscow and Tokyo have not been able to sign a peace treaty after the end of World War II.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi harshly criticized Putin's latest visit. This is Putin's first visit to the relevant islands. She said the move "hurt the feelings of the Japanese people" and was "incompatible with Japan's consistent position on the Northern Territories".
Moscow dismissed the remarks as "politically inappropriate" and "legally baseless".
Efforts to resolve the territorial dispute have made limited progress over the years. Bilateral relations also remain frosty, with Japan imposing sanctions on Russia over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, Moscow once again angered Tokyo by demanding the extradition of Tomoko Akagen, the Japanese president of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Since 2023, Tomoko Akane and other ICC officials have been included on Russia's wanted list. Previously, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes in Ukraine.
In 2023, Russia detained The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges and later sentenced him to 16 years in prison.
Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, was released through prisoner exchange in 2024. It was the largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War in 1991.
