Russian security services have detained a Japanese journalist working for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper on Sakhalin Island, accusing him of gathering classified defense information and engaging in espionage. State news agencies reported that reporter Imai Yuki was intercepted just as he was preparing to leave the country, following which he was transferred to Moscow to face criminal proceedings.

Speaking at a press briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed that Tokyo was supposedly utilizing the status of foreign correspondents to undermine national security. Zakharova alleged that the incident reflects a broader deterioration of bilateral ties driven by the Japanese regime's hostile policies, urging Tokyo to abandon its confrontational approach toward Moscow.

According to reports, Yuki has been remanded in custody until December 12 ahead of a formal trial. Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that Tokyo has officially requested prompt information sharing from Russian authorities, alongside demands for fair treatment and humanitarian considerations regarding the detained citizen.

The arrest unfolds against a backdrop of heavily strained relations between the two nations, complicated by historical territorial disputes over the Kuril Islands and the Japanese regime's alignment with Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict. Additional friction was recently sparked by Russian leadership visits to the disputed island chain, which drew sharp protests from Tokyo.

Source: www.aljazeera.com