A Japanese journalist from Hokkaido Shimbun, detained in Russia on espionage charges, has been granted consular access, confirming that his health is stable.
According to Japan's Foreign Ministry and NHK, a representative from the Japanese embassy in Russia visited the journalist at the Lefortovo Prison in Moscow on the 26th, marking the first consular visit after 13 days of detention.
Consular access allows diplomats to visit their detained nationals to ensure their welfare and rights are upheld.
The Foreign Ministry stated in a press release, "The consular visit confirmed that the detained journalist's health is not in jeopardy." It added, "We will continue to strongly demand the immediate release of Japanese nationals, humanitarian considerations, and fair treatment from the Russian government, and we will make every effort to protect our citizens abroad."
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has previously stated that the Japanese government has never engaged in espionage activities within Russia.
On October 13, the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia detained the male journalist from Hokkaido Shimbun in the Far East Sakhalin region on espionage charges. The Japanese government has repeatedly urged Russia to allow consular access as stipulated in bilateral treaties.
Lefortovo Prison is known as one of Moscow's most secure facilities, previously managed by the KGB during the Soviet era and currently under the FSB's jurisdiction. It is also known for housing dissident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a Nobel laureate.
In 2023, Russia charged a journalist from The Wall Street Journal with espionage, claiming he attempted to gather defense secrets. The court sentenced him to 16 years in prison, marking the first instance of an American journalist being detained on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War ended. He was released in August 2024 as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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