Russia Rejects Japan's Request over Detention of Journalist

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)--Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolay Nozdrev has rejected Japan's requests regarding the detention of a Japanese journalist by Russian authorities, the Russian Embassy in Tokyo said Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry summoned Nozdrev and requested information on the matter and humanitarian consideration for the detained journalist, while protesting the Russian side's unilateral announcement of the detention.

According to the embassy, Nozdrev replied that the investigation of the journalist will be carried out on the basis of Russian law. He claimed that Japanese intelligence authorities have journalists cooperate in collecting undisclosed information for the purpose of undermining Russia's security and defense capabilities, and that Russian authorities have repeatedly prevented such attempts.

The Russian envoy also mentioned a Chinese delegation's recent visit to Etorofu, one of the four Russian-controlled islands that Japan claims as the Northern Territories, saying that practical cooperation, including such exchanges, will continue to expand steadily.

On Tuesday, Russia's Federal Security Service announced the detention of the journalist, the chief of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk branch of the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, on suspicion of espionage.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]