Russia arrests Japanese reporter for alleged espionage

Russian authorities arrested a Japanese journalist on Sakhalin Island, accusing him of espionage for Japanese intelligence. The FSB identified the man as Imai Yuki, who worked for Hokkaido Shimbun and was suspected of gathering information on Russia's defense capabilities. He was detained while preparing to leave Russia, flown to Moscow, and placed in custody pending investigation. The arrest comes amid rising tensions between Russia and Japan following President Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril Islands.