In brief
During a diplomatic session amid the G‑20 summit, Japan’s Kazuya Motegi urged Russia to release a Japanese journalist in its custody, citing safety and consular rights. The request was made directly to Russian officials, but Russia’s response and the journalist’s status remain unconfirmed.
Japanese Foreign Minister Kazuya Motegi demanded that Russia free a Japanese journalist being held in its possession during a meeting held on the fringes of the G‑20 summit.
The demand was made in the same session in which Japan and Russia’s foreign ministers were conducting diplomatic exchanges, as reported by Kyodo News.
Motegi said the request was intended to secure the journalist’s safety and to uphold the right to consular assistance for Japanese nationals abroad.
While the Japanese side confirmed the demand, the Russian response and the current status of the journalist’s release remain unconfirmed.
