Russia’s detention of a Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage has triggered a diplomatic protest from Tokyo, with the case threatening to further strain relations between the two countries already divided over security, sanctions and a long-running territorial dispute.
The journalist, identified by Russia’s Foreign Ministry as Yuki Imai, was arrested in the far eastern Sakhalin region shortly before his planned departure from the country, according to a Reuters report.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Imai, who it said worked for Japan’s Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, of collecting and storing information about Russian defence capabilities for intelligence purposes. The agency alleged that the information could be used against Russia’s security.
Japan has challenged Moscow’s handling of the case, demanding an explanation for the detention and urging Russian authorities to ensure the journalist’s fair and humane treatment.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo had requested information from Russian authorities, while a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official subsequently summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to lodge a formal protest.
Japan also asked Moscow to arrange a meeting with the detained journalist as soon as possible, expressing dissatisfaction with Russia’s decision to announce details of the case without first providing an explanation to Tokyo.
The Hokkaido Shimbun, meanwhile, said it was still working to confirm details surrounding the incident and that the reporter’s safety remained its primary concern.
Footage aired on Russian state television showed masked security operatives handcuffing a man on the ground before escorting him onto a plane. The video later showed the man inside a courtroom in Moscow, where a judge ordered his detention for nearly two months.
The arrest is one of the most prominent cases involving a foreign journalist detained by Russia since the 2023 arrest of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich on espionage allegations. Gershkovich denied the accusation and was released in a prisoner exchange in August 2024 after being sentenced to 16 years in prison.
The latest case comes amid persistent friction between Moscow and Tokyo, which have never concluded a formal peace treaty following World War II, largely because of their dispute over the Kuril Islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories.
Relations deteriorated further after Japan joined Western sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to classify Japan among countries it considers unfriendly. Despite the political tensions, Japan continues to purchase Russian liquefied natural gas.
The territorial dispute has remained a particularly sensitive issue. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to one of the contested islands in August provoked anger in Japan, while a subsequent visit by a delegation from a Chinese province appeared to underscore Moscow’s growing alignment with Beijing in their criticism of Tokyo.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the journalist’s detention would further damage relations, accusing Japan of failing to address Moscow’s concerns about what she described as its remilitarisation.
Zakharova also alleged that Japanese authorities were using accredited journalists in Russia to obtain information capable of undermining Russian national security.
Kihara acknowledged the difficulties in the relationship but maintained that communication between the neighbouring countries remained necessary to manage their disagreements.
The dispute now places the two governments under renewed pressure, with Japan seeking access to its detained national while Russia maintains that the case involves suspected espionage rather than ordinary journalistic activity.
