Japan Slams Lack of Access to Journalist Arrested in Far East

By AFP Oct. 20, 2026 Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara. REUTERS / Issei Kato Japan said Tuesday that it was "extremely regrettable" that its diplomats have been unable to visit a Japanese journalist arrested in Russia despite a bilateral protocol that guarantees the right to consular access. Russian law enforcement authorities arrested the journalist from the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper on the Far East island of Sakhalin last week on suspicion of espionage. Russia has arrested several citizens of what it calls "unfriendly" countries in recent years, accusing them of working for Western intelligence services. Japan has denied the spying allegations and demanded that Russia release the journalist. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said a protocol signed between Japan and the Soviet Union remains in effect with Russia, ensuring the right to consular access within "a period of no later than four days from the time of arrest or detention." "It is therefore extremely regrettable that, despite this provision, a consular visit was not realized within the prescribed period," Kihara said. Japan will "continue to strongly urge the Russian side to arrange a consular visit at the earliest possible time," he said, adding that Tokyo was also demanding the journalist's release and fair treatment. Russian media reported that the journalist would remain in custody at least until Dec. 12. Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry identified the arrested reporter as Yuki Imai, with spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying he was accused of "conducting espionage activities on Russian territory." Russia's FSB security service said a Japanese national was arrested on Sakhalin — near a disputed cluster of islands — but did not name the individual. It said the person had worked for Japanese intelligence services to collect information about Russia's defenses. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi denied the spying claim. Tokyo summoned Russian ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to protest the arrest. Japan and Russia have been locked in a territorial dispute for decades over a string of islands off the northeast coast of Japan's Hokkaido prefecture and southwest of Russia's Sakhalin region. Russia has controlled the southern Kuril Islands — known as the Northern Territories in Japan — since the end of World War II, when the Soviet Union seized them. Read more about: Japan , Journalists 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 Russia Arrests Japanese Journalist on Suspicion of Spying The FSB claimed that the journalist had been gathering information on Russia's defense capabilities. 3 Min read Russia Adds DOXA Co-Founder Aramyan to ‘Terrorists and Extremists’ List Armen Aramyan, who fled Russia in 2022 after being sentenced to correctional labor, responded to the news by writing, “It took a while.” 1 Min read Moscow Police Arrest 3 Journalists Outside Annexation Celebration on Red Square Human rights watchdog OVD-Info said one of the journalists worked at the news website Republic and the other two for SOTAvision. 1 Min read Russia Jails Ex-Editor of Youth Magazine DOXA 7 Years in Absentia for ‘Justifying Terrorism’ Maria Menshikova was convicted over two posts she made on the Russian social network VKontakte in the summer of 2022. 1 Min read