The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained the Japanese consul Motoki Tatsunori in Vladivostok on September 26. He is accused of espionage.
CNN writes about this with reference to Russian propaganda media.
The FSB reported that the diplomat was detained "red-handed while receiving, for a monetary reward, information of limited distribution [that is, confidential] about the current aspects of Russiaʼs cooperation with one of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region" and about "the impact of the Western sanctions policy on the economic situation in the Primorsky Krai".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation also declared the consul persona non grata. The reason was "activity incompatible with the status of a consular official, which harms the security interests of Russia," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa said that the detention of the Japanese consul by Russia is "extremely regrettable and unacceptable."
"The consular officer was taken in a motionless state, blindfolded from beginning to end, with his hands and head down, subjected to intimidating interrogation," Hayashi told reporters on September 27, adding that "there is absolutely no evidence of illegal activity as claimed by the Russian side ".
According to him, on the morning of September 27, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori summoned the Russian ambassador to Japan Mykhailo Galuzin. Morey filed a formal protest. In it, the Japanese side demands from the Russian Federation an official apology and safeguards against the repetition of such actions.
The Japanese foreign minister also indicated that his countryʼs government would take "appropriate measures," Hayashi stated.
- On September 26, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno announced that Japan had banned the export of chemical weapons-related goods to Russia — additional anti-Russian sanctions due to the invasion of Ukraine.