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Japan's Motegi asks Lavrov to free detained journalist
The Japan Times reports Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi demanded Russia immediately release a Hokkaido Shimbun reporter held on espionage allegations, after talks with Sergey Lavrov in Atlanta.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Saturday that he had strongly demanded the immediate release of a Japanese journalist detained in Russia during talks Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Atlanta, The Japan Times reported1.
Motegi told reporters he exchanged frank opinions with Lavrov on the sidelines of a Group of 20 foreign ministers' meeting but declined to give details, saying the safety of a Hokkaido Shimbun reporter held on espionage allegations could be affected1.
Russia said this month it had detained the journalist in the Sakhalin region on suspicion of espionage1. A Japanese government statement said Motegi also called on Russia to take positive actions toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and that the ministers would keep communicating1.
Interfax, cited by The Japan Times, quoted Russia's Foreign Ministry as saying a brief talk was held at Japan's request and that full dialogue required Tokyo to give up unfriendly policies1. Ties remain strained over Ukraine, sanctions and the Kuril Islands dispute1.
