Japan angry after diplomat arrested by Russia
Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno (pictured) rejects espionage charges against Consul General in Vladivostok, Motoko Tatsunori.
REUTERS - KIM KYUNG-HOON
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Tokyo reacted virulently to Moscow after the arrest of its consul general in Vladivostok for espionage.
The FSB, the Russian intelligence services, accuse the Japanese diplomat of having wanted to obtain information on cooperation between Russia and an Asian country.
The Japanese diplomat has since been released and ordered to leave Russia within 48 hours.
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With our correspondent in Tokyo,
Frédéric Charles
Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno rejects espionage charges against Consul General in Vladivostok, Motoko Tatsunori.
The latter was arrested by Russia from "
coercive manner
," he said.
The official was blindfolded, both hands and head pressed to the ground so that he could not move during his detention, and then he was interrogated in an authoritarian manner.
"
This is unacceptable, extremely regrettable, contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Japan protests against these incredible acts.
Our consul will be back this Wednesday in Tokyo
,” continued the secretary general of the Japanese government.
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In Japan, the anti-Russian fever always stronger since the invasion of Ukraine
hostile country
According to the FSB, the Japanese consul was caught "
in flagrante delicto
" in Vladivostok when he received confidential information in exchange for "
retribution
”.
The consul wanted to know more about cooperation between Russia and an Asian country.
Still according to Moscow, the Japanese diplomat was seeking to collect confidential information on “
the impact of Western sanctions on the economic situation
” – following the outbreak of war in Ukraine – in the Russian region of Vladivostok, located just opposite Japan.
The Kremlin has viewed Japan as a hostile country since joining
Western sanctions
against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
In retaliation for the economic sanctions taken against Moscow for its offensive in Ukraine, Russia at the beginning of May prohibited access to its territory to more than sixty Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
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