OREANDA-NEWS  Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has rejected Russia's accusations of espionage after the detention of Hokkaido Shimbun journalist Imai Yuki in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Her words are quoted by O Globo.

"There was nothing like that," she said, answering questions from reporters.

Takaichi added that the Japanese side does not yet know the details of the case, but Tokyo will resolutely defend its position.

On October 13, FSB officers uncovered a Japanese journalist suspected of espionage in the Sakhalin Region. He turned out to be 34-year-old Imai Yuki, a correspondent for the bureau of the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper.

According to the FSB, Yuki hid behind his status as a media employee and, on the instructions of the national intelligence service, collected information about how many local residents took part in a special military operation (SVO).