Japan Hasn’t Interviewed to Detained Journalist

Since Russian government detained a Japanese journalist with suspicion of spying in Russia on October 13th, the government of Japan has not taken opportunity to have a contact with him in person. Neglect of diplomatic right for a consul to meet its citizen may violate a bilateral treaty between Japan and Russia. Behavior of the Japanese government revealed Japan’s lack of diplomatic leverage to Russia. 

When a correspondent of the Hokkaido Shimbun Press to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was arrested by Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and transported to a detention center in Lefortovo located in suburb of Moscow, the Director-General of European Affairs Bureau in Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimitake Nakamura, summoned Russian Ambassador to Japan, Nikolai Nozdrev, and protested Russia’s detention without announcement on October 14th.

 

Nakamura protested Russia on its detention of Japanese journalist without notification and unilateral issuance of public statement about the case. Nakamura required immediate provision of information and fair treatment of the journalist, demanding opportunity to have contact with the journalist. Nozdrev told that he would convey Japan’s request to Moscow. Japanese Embassy in Moscow and its Consulate General in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk made the same request to Russia. Russia made a consulate notification on this issue on October 15th. 

 

Japan-Soviet Consular Convention provides that a consul of each country has a right to meet its national in its district. It is recognized that the meeting needs to be made within 4 days from the arrest or detention. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Toshimitsu Motegi, argues that the provision is still viable. Nevertheless, Russia has not accepted Japan’s request to meet the journalist.

 

Nakamura had a meeting with the Director of Third Asian Department, Lyudmila Vorobyeva, in Moscow and requested meeting with the journalist, immediate release of him, humanitarian consideration and fair treatment. Vorobyeva argued that current exacerbation of bilateral relations was caused by Japan’s unfriendly attitude and demanded Japan’s consideration on Russia’s concern on security.

 

The Hokkaido Shimbun Press argues in its editorials on October 17th that it is an independent news organization and there is no possibility of reporting with consultation of the government. The newspaper explained the reason for a news organization to send journalists to foreign countries as direct collection of various facts from politics and economy to culture and reporting from the viewpoint of foreigners, as well as generating mutual understandings of both countries.

 

The Chairman of Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association, Shiro Nakamura, issued a comment that freedom of press should be guaranteed and not be violated, expressing strong concern and resentment. U.S. Ambassador to Japan, George Glass, posted on X that the arrest was nothing but an explicit attempt to threaten and muzzle independent journalism.

 

But Japan has not had a consular interview with the detained journalist. Japan sometimes asked support of the United States in humanitarian issues such as abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea. However, Donald Trump administration has shown no serious action toward Russia on detention of Japanese journalist. Japan keeps its hard position toward Russia on territorial issue over the Northern Territory, since Russia started the war in Ukraine in 2022. No leverage for releasing is seen so far.

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