Tension between the two countries is increasing: Russia arrested the Japanese journalist!

According to the Independent, Russian authorities detained a Japanese journalist for allegedly collecting information about the country's defense tactics and plans, and reported that he was tried for espionage.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported that Hokkaido Shimbun correspondent Yuki Imai was detained on the island of Sakhalin in the far east of the country.

Russian intelligence agency FSB released a video showing masked personnel raiding a hotel room, pinning Imai to the floor and handcuffing him.

HE WAS VISITING THE COUNTRY FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS

Imai, 34, was known for his reporting on Russia's relations with North Korea and life on Sakhalin. Imai, who has been visiting Russia since 2014, started this summer.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Moscow to treat the detained journalist fairly and impartially. Japan's embassy in Moscow and its consulate general in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk have requested information from Russian authorities, an official said. The official also stated that they want a humane approach and fair treatment.

TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IS INCREASING

Imai's arrest came at a time when relations between Japan and Russia were rapidly deteriorating.

These tensions stem from Tokyo's support for Ukraine and a long-running dispute over sovereignty of the Kuril Islands near Sakhalin. Japan claims the four islands closest to its territory.