On 13 October 2026, Russian authorities announced the arrest of Japanese journalist Yuki Imai, a correspondent for the newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun, on suspicion of espionage. Imai was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on Sakhalin Island in Russia’s Far East, shortly before he was due to leave the country.
Russia’s FSB accused Imai of collecting and storing information about Russia’s defence capabilities, including the number of residents of Russia’s Kuril Islands mobilised or volunteering to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russian authorities accused him of gathering this information on behalf of Japanese intelligence services. Imai was accredited as a journalist with Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time of his arrest.
Following his detention, Imai was transferred to Moscow, where the Lefortovo District Court ordered him to be held in pre-trial detention until 12 December 2026. He faces charges under Article 276 of Russia’s Criminal Code, concerning espionage, which carries a possible prison sentence of 10 to 20 years.
According to Mediazona, Imai, 34, had arrived in Russia in the summer of 2026 and travelled around the country’s Far East, including Primorsky Krai. Separately, he had also interviewed Russian-speaking residents of Japan and gathered information about life in the region.
The Japanese government protested the journalist’s detention and demanded fair treatment and consular access.