Japan denies spying after Russia arrests journalist
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday said the details of the accusations against the Hokkaido Shimbun reporter remained unclear.
Moscow arrested a Japanese journalist, Yuki Imai, from Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, accusing him of espionage activities on Russian soil. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi denied the allegations, stating that protecting Japanese citizens is a top priority. Japan summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the arrest and demanded fair treatment.
The Japanese government has not heard from Imai since his detention, but is working to arrange a meeting. The Committee to Protect Journalists called for Imai's immediate release, warning that using journalists as leverage in geopolitical disputes is deeply concerning. Russia has detained several journalists from unfriendly nations in recent years, accusing them of working for Western intelligence services.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Japan denies spying after Russia arrests journalist freemalaysiatoday.com
- Japan denies spying after Russia arrests journalist channelnewsasia.com
