Japanese journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges
Russian authorities have detained Yuki Imai, a Japanese journalist detained in Russia who worked for the Hokkaido Shimbun, on Sakhalin and accused him of spying, according to the foreign ministry.
Japanese journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges
A Japanese journalist detained in Russia, Yuki Imai of the Hokkaido Shimbun, was arrested on the far eastern island of Sakhalin and accused of spying, Russian authorities said. Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova identified the reporter and said he was accused of "conducting espionage activities on Russian territory".
What the FSB alleges
According to Russia's Tass news agency, Imai was accused of collecting information on Russia's defence capabilities. The FSB security agency claimed the journalist had intended to pass the information on to Japanese intelligence, and said it had "opened a criminal case against the Japanese national" and placed him in pre-trial detention.
- The FSB published a video showing masked officers storming a hotel room, pushing a man to the floor and handcuffing him
- Zakharova called attempts by Tokyo to use its correspondents in Russia to gather information aimed at undermining Russian state security regrettable, and said it was not an isolated case
Detention and charges
Imai worked at the Hokkaido Shimbun bureau in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and was reportedly preparing to return to Japan when he was arrested. The detained man was flown to Moscow, where a court ordered him held in pre-trial detention; no date was given for the arrest or the hearing. The espionage charges carry up to 20 years in prison. Russian media reported he would remain in custody until 12 December.
Reactions in Japan
Japan's foreign ministry urged Moscow to extend "fair and impartial treatment" to the detained journalist. A ministry official said the embassy in Moscow and the consulate general in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk lodged a request with the Russian authorities for the prompt provision of information, as well as for humanitarian consideration.
The Hokkaido Shimbun said it was aware of the Russian announcement but was still confirming the details. In a statement, the newspaper said making sure its journalist was safe was its top priority and that it was responding accordingly.
A relationship under strain
The arrest comes amid rapidly deteriorating ties between Japan and Russia, triggered by Tokyo's support for Ukraine and a longstanding dispute over the sovereignty of the Kuril islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories. Russia regards Japan as an "unfriendly" country because it has joined western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, and Tokyo has said it would continue implementing sanctions against Russia and supporting Ukraine.
- Japan claims the four islands closest to its territory; the nearest is less than 4km from Hokkaido
- The islands have been under Russian control since Soviet forces seized them at the end of the second world war, forcing about 17,000 Japanese citizens to leave
- In 2022, Moscow scrapped a programme that allowed former residents to travel to the islands to visit the graves of their ancestors, in protest at Japan's support for Ukraine
- President Vladimir Putin visited one of the disputed islands in August, causing an uproar in Japan
Russia has arrested several citizens of "unfriendly" countries in recent years, accusing them of working for western intelligence services. In 2023, the US journalist Evan Gershkovich was arrested on espionage charges, later sentenced to 16 years in prison and released in a 2024 prisoner swap. Imai, according to Russian media, will remain in custody until 12 December.
