On the eve of flying out of Russia, a Japanese journalist was detained on suspicion of espionage
In Russia's Sakhalin Oblast, Imai Yuki, a correspondent for Japan's Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, was detained on suspicion of espionage. According to Russian media reports, he was apprehended on the verge of flying out of the country and taken to Moscow. A court remanded the journalist in custody for at least two months.
Japanese journalist detained on suspicion of espionage on the eve of departure from Russia
According to DW, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on October 13 that the journalist was detained by the Federal Security Service — FSB. Imai Yuki held accreditation from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Citing law enforcement agencies, Interfax reported that on the same day, Moscow's Lefortovo Court applied a preventive measure of detention against the correspondent. He is expected to be held in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center.
According to the FSB's version, the journalist collected and stored information related to Russia's defense capability on the instructions of Japanese intelligence. The Russian special service claims that this information was intended to be transmitted for use against the country's security.
In particular, the FSB believes that Imai Yuki collected information on the Kuril Islands regarding the number of mobilized individuals and volunteers participating in the war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Tokyo attempted to obtain security-related information through its correspondent holding foreign journalist status in Russia. The report did not include the response of the Japanese side or the journalist's editorial office to these suspicions.
According to Interfax, if found guilty under the espionage charge, the journalist could face a prison sentence of 10 to 20 years.
The "Ostorozhno, novosti" Telegram channel wrote that Imai Yuki had been visiting Russia since at least 2014 and studied at Saint Petersburg State University. His social media pages from that period contained photos taken at Russian theaters, museums, and conservatories.
For Hokkaido Shimbun, the correspondent prepared materials in Khabarovsk about the opening of a memorial dedicated to the victory over Japan and the end of World War II, the State Duma elections, as well as relations between Russia and North Korea.
According to the channel, his last article was published on October 5. This report, prepared from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, was about North Korean citizens in the region.