Russian authorities have detained a Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage, alleging he collected information about the country’s defence capabilities on behalf of Tokyo.
The journalist, identified as Yuki Imai of the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, was arrested in Russia’s far eastern Sakhalin region shortly before his scheduled departure. He was later transferred to Moscow, where a court ordered his pretrial detention until December 12, according to Russian media reports.
Russia’s Federal Security Service accused Imai of acting on instructions from Japan’s intelligence service to gather information about people involved in military operations on the disputed Kuril Islands. If convicted of espionage, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Japan’s government said it was seeking further information about the arrest and had not yet established contact with the journalist. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo had learned of the detention through the public announcement.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticised Japan, alleging that some foreign correspondents were being used to collect information that threatened Russia’s national security. She did not provide details of other journalists allegedly involved.
The arrest comes amid strained relations between Moscow and Tokyo, particularly over the Kuril Islands, which Russia administers while Japan claims four southern islands known as the Northern Territories.
Tensions increased after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed islands in August. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi criticised the visit, saying it contradicted Tokyo’s position on the territorial dispute. Moscow rejected her remarks.
The territorial disagreement has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a formal peace treaty following World War Two. Relations have also deteriorated since Japan imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Imai’s published reporting has focused on Russia’s relations with North Korea and life in Sakhalin. His employer said it was still verifying the circumstances of his arrest and that the journalist’s safety was its priority.
The case follows previous Russian detentions of foreign journalists on national security grounds. In 2023, Russia arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges and sentenced him to 16 years in prison. He was released in a major prisoner exchange in 2024.
Russia also detained a Japanese journalist working for Kyodo News in 2019 over suspicions of seeking military secrets. The journalist was subsequently ordered to leave the country.
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