Japanese journalist arrested in Russia’s Sakhalin region on spying charges
The Hindu – International
You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials,
Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
Weather News October 14, 2026 e-Paper
The View From India
Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show
News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache
Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All
The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point
Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge
At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters
Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda
Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books
Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
Weather News October 14, 2026 e-Paper
Updated – October 14, 2026 11:52 am IST – Moscow
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara attends a regular press conference after reports of Russia detaining a Japanese journalist on suspicion of spying, at Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's official residence, in Tokyo, Japan.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
A Japanese journalist suspected of spying has been arrested on Russia's Sakhalin Island, the top Russian domestic security agency said Tuesday (October 13, 2026).
The arrest comes amid a spike in tensions between Russia and Japan following Russian President Vladimir Putin's August trip to the Kuril Islands, the Moscow-controlled Pacific archipelago that is claimed by both countries.
The Federal Security Service, or FSB, said in a statement that the Japanese man, who worked for the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, was suspected of gathering information related to Russia's defence capability on behalf of a Japanese intelligence agency.
The FSB, the main successor agency to the Soviet KGB, said the Japanese man, whom it didn't name, was arrested as he was preparing to leave Russia. The agency said the suspect was flown to Moscow, where he was put behind bars.
The FSB released a video showing masked agents in black outfits arresting the man in a hotel room and then escorting him to a plane bound for Moscow. He was then shown facing a judge at the Lefortovo District Court, who ordered him to be held in custody for two months pending the probe.
Russia's Sakhalin region includes Sakhalin Island and the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, which Japan calls the Northern Territories. Putin visited one of them, Iturup, in August.
The Soviet Union took the Kuril Islands from Japan in the final days of World War II, and the ongoing dispute has prevented the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Putin's visit, his first to the islands, was “incompatible with the Japanese position on the Northern Territories” and was “absolutely unacceptable.” She said it was a further blow to already-strained ties between the two countries over Ukraine.
Moscow responded by summoning the Japanese ambassador to protest the “anti-Russia” statements by Takaichi and other Japanese officials, emphasising that “Russia's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the southern Kuril Islands are absolutely unshakable.”
Decades of diplomatic efforts to negotiate a settlement haven't produced any visible results. Over the years, Moscow has also bolstered its military presence on the Kurils in moves that appeared to underscore its firm stance in the dispute.
In recent years, Russia has arrested many foreigners — mainly Americans — on various criminal charges and then released them in prisoner swaps with the United States and other Western nations.
The largest exchange since the Cold War took place in August 2024, when Moscow freed journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, fellow American Paul Whelan, and Russian dissidents in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free.
Published – October 14, 2026 11:12 am IST
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
Fonte: The Hindu – International
