Russia detains Japanese journalist on suspicion of spying

MOSCOW: Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Tuesday the detention of Japanese journalist Imai Yuki for suspected espionage. The agency stated that the incident occurred in the far eastern Sakhalin region, just before Imai was set to depart the country. Imai's name was provided by Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, who described the detention as exacerbating already tense relations between Moscow and Tokyo.

The FSB claimed that Imai was arrested as part of thwarting his illegal activities, specifically for gathering and storing defense-related intelligence to potentially pass it on to foreign intelligence agencies. The agency emphasized the importance of protecting Russia's national security from such threats.

Zakharova expressed disappointment in Japan for utilizing its correspondents in Russia as spies, accusing Tokyo of attempting to undermine the security of the Russian Federation. She also noted that Japan had taken an anti-Russian stance during Moscow's military operations in Ukraine and refused to address Moscow's concerns regarding Japan's "remilitarization." The spokeswoman pointed out that this incident would further tarnish the already strained Russian-Japanese relationship.

The territorial dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands, also known as the Northern Territories by Japan, remains unresolved due to the lack of a formal World War Two peace treaty between the two nations. In 2023, Russia's President Vladimir Putin visited one of the disputed islands, sparking outrage in Japan.

Meanwhile, Japan's embassy in Moscow did not respond to calls seeking comment outside of standard business hours.