Russia detains Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained a Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage, as relations between Moscow and Tokyo remain strained over Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The FSB said the journalist, who works for Japan’s Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, was detained in the far eastern Sakhalin region before he was due to leave Russia. It said he had gathered and stored information related to Russia’s defence capabilities for possible transfer to foreign intelligence services.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova identified the journalist as Imai Yuki, according to the Russian transliteration of his name. She said the detention would further strain relations between Russia and Japan.

Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Wednesday that the Japanese embassy in Moscow and consulate-general in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk had asked Russian authorities for information and called for fair treatment and humanitarian consideration for the detained national.

The Hokkaido Shimbun said it was still confirming the details. A spokesperson for the newspaper said it would respond with the reporter’s safety as its top priority.

Journalist detained in Russia

Russian state television showed footage of three masked men in black uniforms handcuffing a man on the ground. The report said the man was suspected of espionage.

The footage later showed the man being escorted by FSB officers onto a plane and appearing in a cage at a Moscow court. The court ordered him held for nearly two months.

The FSB said it had “thwarted the illegal activity” of the journalist, alleging that he had collected information about Russia’s defence capabilities.

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The allegations have not been independently verified.

Tensions between Moscow and Tokyo

The detention comes as relations between Russia and Japan have deteriorated since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Russia considers Japan an “unfriendly” country after Tokyo joined Western sanctions against Moscow. Japan has maintained sanctions against Russia and continued supporting Ukraine.

The two countries also have a long-running territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited one of the disputed islands in August, prompting criticism in Japan. A delegation from China’s Heilongjiang province also visited the island on Tuesday.

Japan’s Cabinet this month approved additional sanctions against Russia, including expanded export restrictions and asset freezes targeting individuals linked to the Russian military.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that despite difficult relations, communication with Russia remained necessary.

One of the most prominent cases involving a foreign journalist in Russia was the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in 2023.

He was convicted of espionage by a Russian court and sentenced to 16 years in prison before being released in an East-West prisoner swap in August 2024.

The latest detention adds another point of tension between Moscow and Tokyo as their relations remain strained.

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