TOKYO - A Hokkaido Shimbun journalist has recently been detained in Russia on suspicion of espionage and transferred to Moscow. The Japanese government must ensure the reporter's safety and devote every diplomatic effort to securing an early release.
Russia should guarantee regular consular visits and provide sufficient information on the reasons for the detention and the reporter's treatment.
On Oct. 26, officials from the Japanese Embassy in Russia met with the reporter and confirmed that he had no health issues, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Securing a visit must not be mistaken for resolving the issue. The goal must be the reporter's safe return to Japan.
The Russian Federal Security Service, known as FSB, claims the reporter gathered information, under instructions from the Japanese intelligence service, about mobilized and volunteer participants in the military operation against Ukraine among residents of the Kurile Islands, part of which are called Northern Territories by Japan.
No specific evidence for that claim can be confirmed from publicly available information. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi denied espionage and the Hokkaido Shimbun said the reporting was not conducted under government instructions.
Investigating the effects of war on local communities serves the public interest. The Russian authorities' attempt to equate reporting with espionage is unacceptable, as such detentions intimidate other journalists and sources who cooperate with the media while undermining the rights of readers to know conditions on the ground.
A Kyodo News reporter detained in Vladivostok in 2019 was released after several hours of questioning and left Russia the following day after being ordered to leave the country. This time, a court has approved detention for about two months, raising concerns that the case could drag on.
The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was held for more than a year, sentenced to 16 years in prison and later freed in a multi-country prisoner swap. Japan should prepare for such a possibility but must not accept a prolonged detention as inevitable, pursuing diplomacy for release alongside judicial proceedings.
The foremost priority is to prevent the reporter from becoming isolated.
One consular visit is not enough. Japanese officials should repeatedly and directly follow up on the reporter's health and treatment and ensure he has an opportunity to say what support he needs.
They should not rely on Russia's explanation, rather they should monitor any changes in the reporter's physical and mental condition and any signs of mistreatment and continue to press for improvements where necessary.
Access to independent lawyers and interpreters as well as communication with his family are also essential. A concrete explanation of the allegations and a meaningful opportunity for the reporter to respond should also be requested. Consular access and legal assistance are guaranteed under international law and must not become political bargaining chips.
The Japanese government should publicly call for the journalist's safety and early release while, behind closed doors, seek a path to bring him home. At an Oct. 30 meeting in Atlanta, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called on his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, to release the reporter immediately.
It should coordinate policy through the Foreign Ministry, make high-level approaches when necessary and seek information and cooperation from the United States and European countries that are experienced in negotiating the release of detainees in Russia.
International advocacy by press and human rights groups is also important. While disclosure of negotiations requires consideration for the reporter and family, secrecy must not become an excuse for neglecting accountability and public attention.
Japan, meanwhile, should not preemptively offer sanctions relief or an end to support for Ukraine as terms of an exchange. Premature concessions could expand Russia's demands and encourage further detentions.
That does not mean negotiations over a release should be ruled out, but Japan must carefully assess Russia's actual demands, the effectiveness and legality of release and risks to Japanese nationals in the future. It must not create the impression that a shift in policy toward Russia is indispensable for his release.
The government has a responsibility both to secure the reporter's safe return and to reduce the risk of prompting further detentions. It must uphold the principle of press freedom while pursuing persistent diplomacy to protect life and dignity.
Supplied photo. (Kyodo)
Atsuko Higashino is a professor at the University of Tsukuba. Born in Tokyo in 1971, she graduated Keio University and holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Birmingham in Britain. She has held her current post since 2022 and specializes in international politics in Europe.
