Japan

Japan PM rejects Russian espionage charges against journalist detained on Sakhalin

Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi has denied Russia’s espionage allegations against Yuki Imai, a journalist for the Japanese newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun. Imai was arrested in Russia on Oct. 13.

15 October, 10:48 PM

Russia detains Japanese journalist on espionage charges

A correspondent for Japan’s Hokkaido Shimbun was detained on Sakhalin after Russia’s FSB accused him of spying for Japanese intelligence, Russian propaganda agency TASS reported on Oct. 13.

13 October, 09:37 PM

Ukraine’s HUR shows Japanese delegation North Korean missile components

Specialists from the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (HUR) showed components of a North Korean-made ballistic missile to Eisuke Mori, speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives, and members of a Japanese delegation visiting Kyiv, HUR reported on Sept. 19.

20 September, 05:30 AM

U.S., South Korea, and Japan to hold military drills against North Korean nuclear threat

South Korea, Japan, and the United States will conduct ‌joint military drills to test readiness against North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons threats, Reuters reported on August 28.

28 August, 08:25 AM

Russian State Duma publicly threatens Japan over Kuril islands, invokes nuclear weapons

Russia publicly threatened Japan over the territorial dispute involving the Kuril Islands, again invoking its nuclear arsenal, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said, according to Russian state media on Aug. 26.

26 August, 05:57 PM

Russia tests missiles near disputed Kuril Islands, stoking Tokyo tensions — Bloomberg

Russia conducted rare live-fire missile drills utilizing naval vessels and a land-based coastal defense launcher near the disputed Kuril Islands claimed by Japan, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 21.

21 August, 08:30 AM

Russia threatens Japan with countermeasures as Kuril Islands dispute flares

Russia lodged a formal protest with Japan and threatened countermeasures over Tokyo’s criticism of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Kuril Islands, its sanctions against Moscow and its support for Ukraine.

18 August, 06:00 PM

Putin counters Japan’s assertive new defense policy with visit to disputed Kuril islands – ISW

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands, whose occupation by Russia Japan disputes, for the first time on August 13, likely in response to the more assertive defense policy Japan has recently adopted, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on August 13.

14 August, 11:23 AM

Japan set to impose new sanctions on Russia over Putin’s visit to disputed Kuril Islands

Japan may tighten sanctions against Russia following Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, NHK World Japan reported on August 14.

14 August, 10:35 AM

Putin visits disputed Kurils for first time since taking power, drawing protest

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time since coming to power, prompting a strong protest from Japan, which says the territories belong to it.

13 August, 11:23 AM

Ukraine nears final approval to export poultry products to Japan

Ukraine's Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi and Japanese Ambassador Masashi Nakagome discussed final procedures to open Japan's market to Ukrainian poultry products, the Agriculture Ministry said on July 30.

30 July, 01:23 PM

Japan imports 2.905 million tons of Russian LNG this year after dramatic June spike

Japan, one of the world's largest buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), increased its LNG imports by 6% year-on-year to 4.718 million tons in June 2026, Russian propaganda agency Interfax reported.

24 July, 01:40 PM

Japan authorities hunt bear suspected of multiple home break-ins

Authorities in Japan are searching for a bear suspected of breaking into residential homes and raiding refrigerators, The Guardian reported on July 15.

17 July, 10:31 AM

Russia turns to Japanese jet fuel as Ukrainian strikes cripple refining capacities

Russia plans to import jet fuel from Japan through intermediary traders to combat a deepening domestic shortage triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes on its energy infrastructure, Reuters, citing sources, reported on July 3.

6 July, 12:15 PM

90% of Russian ballistic missiles and UAVs utilize Japanese electronics

Components manufactured by Japanese companies are used in approximately 90% of Russian cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as UAVs, Presidential Advisor and Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk told Kyodo News on June 28.

30 June, 01:16 PM

India opens anti-dumping probe into Russian, Chinese and Japanese steel imports

India’s trade remedies authority has opened an anti-dumping investigation into hot-rolled steel from Russia, China and Japan, Reuters reported.

30 June, 01:11 PM

Japan to end reliance on Strait of Hormuz for oil imports from July

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan will source all of its crude oil imports from suppliers outside the Strait of Hormuz starting in July, as the country seeks to reduce its exposure to geopolitical risks, Bloomberg reported on June 11.

11 June, 07:02 PM

Japanese city closes nearly 100 schools as black bear roams its streets

All 94 primary and secondary schools in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya were shut down after a bear was spotted in the municipality for the first time, The Guardian reported on June 8.

8 June, 11:41 AM

Ukraine falls to Japan in women’s Volleyball Nations League

Ukraine’s women’s national volleyball team lost to Japan, ranked fifth in the world, in its third match of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League on June 5.

6 June, 03:40 PM

Japan makes first contribution to NATO’s PURL mechanism for Ukraine

Japan has made its first contribution to NATO’s PURL mechanism for supporting Ukraine, allocating nearly $14.7 million for the purchase of nonlethal equipment, Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported.

30 May, 11:39 AM

Japan

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