The arrest of a Japanese journalist in Russia has finally woken Tokyo up to the fact that Moscow is playing hardball in their diplomatic relationship, and the country’s apparent unwillingness to push back with commensurate force could encourage the Kremlin to test its neighbour’s resolve, analysts say.
Japan lodged an official protest with the Russian ambassador in Tokyo on Wednesday, a day after Moscow announced the arrest of Yuki Imai from the Hokkaido Shimbun Press on suspicion of espionage. He was taken into custody in Russia’s far eastern Sakhalin region, with Moscow accusing him of obtaining details of mobilised Russian soldiers in the region.
Russia has released footage of the arrest of the journalist and his transfer to Lefortovo Prison in Moscow. An official of the Japanese embassy in Moscow has been refused access to speak with the journalist.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has denied that the journalist was conducting espionage for Tokyo, a position echoed by his employer.