Japan Demands Release of Detained Journalist at G20 Meeting

By Reuters Oct. 31, 2026 Social Media Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Atlanta on Friday and demanded the release of Japanese journalist Yuki Imai, who was detained in Russia's Sakhalin region on Oct. 13. The rare high-level meeting between the two countries came amid strained ties over Ukraine and a long-running territorial dispute. “Minister Motegi made a demarche and an argument regarding various current issues between Japan and Russia,” a statement from Japan's embassy in Washington said. “Regarding the detention of a Japanese national in Sakhalin Oblast, Minister Motegi strongly demanded the immediate release,” it added. Russia said this month it had detained a Japanese journalist in its far eastern Sakhalin region on suspicion of espionage, marking a new low in bilateral relations that have worsened in recent months. The case adds to long-running tensions between Russia and Japan, which have yet to sign a formal World War II peace treaty due to a territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories. Those tensions heightened when Japan joined Western sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine, with Russia regarding Japan as an “unfriendly” country. The two countries still do business, however, with Japan purchasing Russian liquefied natural gas. The Japanese statement also said Motegi “strongly called on Russia to take positive actions toward achieving a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.” It said the ministers “would maintain communication, even amid the severe situation in Japan-Russia relations.” Russia's Interfax news agency cited Russia's Foreign Ministry as saying that “a brief talk between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi” was held at Japan's request. “The Russian side emphasized that the resumption of full-fledged interstate dialogue requires Tokyo to give up unfriendly policies,” it quoted the ministry as saying. Earlier, foreign ministers from the G20 skipped a traditional group photo ahead of their meeting in Atlanta after European representatives objected to the presence of Russia over the war in Ukraine. Read more about: Japan , G20 , United States Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Kremlin Weighs U.S. Invitation for Putin to Attend G20 Summit in Miami Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was “grateful for and appreciative of this invitation.” 1 Min read White House to Invite Putin to G20 Summit in Miami, Though Trump Doubts He’ll Attend The Kremlin leader last attended a G20 summit in person in 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic. 2 Min read Russia Blames ‘Revisionist’ U.S. for Disputed Islanders’ Visas Russians born on the Kuril Islands are required to name Japan as their birthplace to receive permanent residency in the U.S. Russia and Japan Warn U.S. of $1Bln Tariff Retaliation Russia and Japan have warned they could retaliate against U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum by imposing sanctions.