The Japanese government said on October 20 that Russian authorities had failed to provide consular access to detained Japanese journalist Yuki Imai within the period stipulated by a bilateral agreement.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara described the situation as deeply regrettable and urged Russia to arrange a meeting between the journalist and Japanese consular officials as soon as possible.
According to Kihara, a diplomatic protocol between the two countries requires consular access no later than four days after a citizen's arrest or detention.
Japan says Russia failed to meet that deadline.
Imai, a journalist with the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, was detained by Russian authorities on Sakhalin on suspicion of espionage.
Russia's FSB alleges that he collected information concerning the country's defense capabilities on behalf of Japanese intelligence agencies. This is the Russian security service's allegation, not an established fact.
Tokyo rejects the espionage accusations and is demanding the journalist's release.
After his detention, Imai was transferred to Moscow, where a Russian court ordered that he be held in pretrial detention.
The failure to provide consular access has become a new point of diplomatic dispute. Japanese officials insist that existing bilateral agreements be observed and that the detained citizen's rights be protected.
The case is unfolding amid strained relations between Russia and Japan, including over sanctions imposed by Tokyo following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian authorities have not publicly presented evidence that would allow the allegations against Imai to be assessed independently.