Japan protests Russia's arrest of journalist Yuki Imai

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 18:32 · Archive

Japan protested Russia's arrest of journalist Yuki Imai on suspicion of spying for a Japanese intelligence agency.

Japan lodged a formal protest with Russia on Wednesday over the arrest of Yuki Imai, a journalist working for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, on suspicion of spying. Russia's Federal Security Service said he was suspected of gathering information about Russia's defence capability on behalf of a Japanese intelligence agency. He was arrested on Sakhalin Island as he prepared to leave Russia on Tuesday after reporting there on a journalist visa.

Japan demanded an explanation, consular access and humane treatment for the journalist. Kimitake Nakamura, head of the European Affairs Bureau at Japan's Foreign Ministry, summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to protest both the arrest and Russia's announcement of it without prior explanation to Japan's government.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Tokyo of using Japanese journalists in Russia to gather information to undermine Russian security, calling it 'regrettable'. She said Japan's policies toward Russia and its military buildup threatened Moscow's security interests in the Far East, and added that the incident would further damage Russian-Japanese relations. The arrest comes amid heightened tensions between the countries following President Vladimir Putin's visit in August to Iturup, one of four disputed Kuril Islands claimed by both nations.

How it is being reported

• Tokyo protests Russia’s arrest of Japanese journalist on suspicion of spyingJapan on Wednesday protested to Russia over the arrest of a Japanese journalist on suspicion of spying, demanding Moscow's explanation, access to the man in custody and humane treatment for him.News4Jax · 14 Oct, 13:52
• Tokyo protests Russia’s arrest of Japanese journalist on suspicion of spyingJapan on Wednesday protested to Russia over the arrest of a Japanese journalist on suspicion of spying, demanding Moscow's explanation, access to the man in custody and humane treatment for him.Clickorlando · 14 Oct, 13:52

In this story: Japan · Russia · Yuki Imai · Hokkaido Shimbun · Maria Zakharova · Vladimir Putin · Sakhalin Island

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem