Russia arrests Hokkaido Shimbun journalist Yuki Imai on Sakhalin on suspicion of spying as Russia-Japan tensions rise
14 October 2026
Russia arrested Japanese journalist Yuki Imai of the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper on the far-eastern island of Sakhalin.
Russia's Federal Security Service says he was collecting information on Russia's defence capabilities, and a Moscow court ordered him held in pre-trial detention.
The charge carries up to 20 years in prison.
Japan's foreign ministry urged Moscow to give him fair and impartial treatment and asked for prompt information.
The arrest comes amid rising tension after Vladimir Putin's August trip to the Kuril Islands, which both countries claim.
In plain words
Kuril Islands Archipelago between Hokkaido and Kamchatka — Islands administered by Russia, four of the southernmost of which Japan claims as its Northern Territories.