Takaichi: “No Spying in Russia”

[Financial News, Tokyo—Correspondent Seo Hye-jin] Tensions between Russia and Japan are rising after Russia arrested a Japanese journalist on espionage charges and began bombing drills in the disputed Kuril Islands. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi categorically denied allegations that Japan conducts espionage in Russia and said her government would make every effort to protect its citizens.
NHK reported on the 15th that Takaichi met with reporters that day at the prime minister’s office and dismissed claims that the Japanese government engages in espionage in Russia, saying, “There is no truth to that.”
Takaichi said, “Countries differ in their domestic laws and in how they interpret the allegations,” adding, “We have not yet grasped the specifics of the allegations, but we will clearly convey Japan’s position to Russia.” She continued, “The Foreign Ministry is requesting consular visits and other measures from the Russian authorities,” and stressed, “Protecting our citizens is the most important thing right now, so we will focus on that.”
Russian authorities earlier announced that they had arrested a Japanese correspondent for the Hokkaido Shimbun in Sakhalin, in Russia’s Far East, on espionage charges on the 13th. The Japanese government summoned the Russian ambassador to Japan and protested on the 14th, but has yet to make contact with the journalist.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said, “We have yet to make contact with the detained Japanese national,” adding, “We are doing everything we can to arrange a consular visit as soon as possible and check their health, among other things.” The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international organization that protects journalists, also called for the journalist’s immediate release.
The tensions between the two countries are also spilling over into the disputed Kuril Islands. According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Russia notified the Japanese government that it would conduct bombing drills on Iturup, one of the four Kuril Islands that Japan calls the Northern Territories, from the 13th to the 17th. Russia also said it would close the airspace over all four islands, including Kunashir, Habomai and Shikotan, from the 10th to the 16th.
On the 13th, the Japanese government lodged a strong protest through diplomatic channels, saying, “Russia’s military buildup in the Northern Territories is unacceptable.”
Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when Japan joined Western sanctions against Russia. The territorial dispute flared up again last August when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, and Japan held joint military exercises with the United States and Australia in Hokkaido last month.
On the 2nd of this month, the Japanese government also imposed additional sanctions prohibiting the operation and repair of 35 Russian vessels and the provision of insurance for them. With Russia’s arrest of a Japanese journalist and its bombing drills in the Kuril Islands following one another, diplomatic and security tensions between the two countries are expected to deepen further.

[email protected] Seo Hye-jin Reporter