Tokyo's attempts to gather information through correspondents in Russia will strain bilateral ties, says Russian spokesperson

Tokyo's attempts to use its correspondents in Russia to gather information will further strain Russia-Japan relations, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Tuesday.

Imai Yuki, a Japanese correspondent who was detained on suspicion of espionage, has been transferred to Moscow and placed in custody, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Tuesday. The correspondent worked at the bureau of the Japanese newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the administrative center of the Sakhalin region.

Imai is accused of espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, Zakharova said.

"Tokyo's attempts to use its correspondents in Russia, who hold foreign journalist status, to gather information aimed at undermining our country's security are regrettable," Zakharova said.

Given the overall decline in bilateral cooperation caused by the Japanese authorities' anti-Russian policies since the start of Russia's special military operation, as well as Tokyo's reluctance to heed Moscow's concerns regarding Japan's remilitarization policy, "we are forced to note that this development will further darken the atmosphere of Russia-Japan relations," she said, urging Tokyo to abandon hostile steps toward Russia.