Russia jails Japanese journalist pending espionage trial
What's next: Yuki Imai will be held until Dec. 12 and could face up to 20 years if convicted.
Russian authorities detained Japanese journalist Yuki Imai in Sakhalin and transferred him to Moscow, where a court ordered him held until Dec. 12 on espionage charges. Russia's FSB accused the Hokkaido Shimbun reporter of collecting information tied to the country's defense capabilities and people involved in military activity on the Kuril Islands for Japan's intelligence service. Tokyo sought details through its embassy and consulate and called for fair and humanitarian treatment. The arrest adds to strains between Russia and Japan, which remain at odds over the disputed Kuril Islands and over Japanese sanctions tied to the war in Ukraine.