Japan seeks immediate release of citizen held in Russia
Toshimitsu Motegi raised the detention with Sergey Lavrov in Atlanta, while Moscow said broader dialogue depended on a change in Tokyo’s policies.
Japan’s embassy in Washington said Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi had called for the immediate release of a Japanese citizen detained in Sakhalin when he met his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Atlanta. Their talks took place on the margins of a G20 meeting.
Russian authorities have reported detaining a Japanese journalist in Sakhalin on suspicion of espionage. The detention comes against a backdrop of strained diplomatic relations, with disagreements over Ukraine and disputed islands.
Motegi also urged Moscow to take steps toward a just, lasting peace in Ukraine, according to the embassy. It said the two ministers would keep channels of communication open despite the difficult state of relations.
Japan requested the short discussion, Interfax reported, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. The ministry said full diplomatic dialogue could resume only if Tokyo dropped policies that Moscow views as unfriendly.
Japan’s decision to join Western sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine deepened the tensions. A separate dispute concerning the Kuril Islands—called the Northern Territories by Japan—has kept the countries from signing a formal treaty ending World War II. Trade nevertheless continues, including Japan’s purchases of liquefied natural gas from Russia.
Before the G20 meeting, ministers did not pose for the customary group photograph after European representatives opposed Russia’s presence because of the Ukraine war.
