Go to mediabankThe state flags of Russia (right) and Japan. File photoTOKYO, Sep 27The Japanese consul in Vladivostok, who was detained the day before by Russian law enforcement officers, is expected to leave Russia by September 28, Secretary General of the Government of Japan Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference. The day before, the FSB announced that it had detained Japanese consul Motoki Tatsunori in Vladivostok for collecting classified information. The diplomat was caught red-handed while receiving, for a monetary reward, information of limited distribution about the current aspects of Russia's cooperation with one of the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, the impact of the Western sanctions policy on the economic situation in Primorsky Krai. In a video published by the FSB, the diplomat pleaded guilty to violating Russian law. It is reported that the Japanese side was protested through diplomatic channels, and the consul himself was declared persona non grata. The diplomat must leave Russia within 48 hours.
The Japanese consul detained in Vladivostok was released «Given the priority for ensuring security, he is expected to leave Russia before September 28,» the Secretary General replied to a journalist's request to comment on the further actions of the Japanese side. Matsuno also stressed that by now the employee of the Japanese consulate has been released and «does not experience any health problems» after the detention. Earlier on Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi announced the inadmissibility of the detention of the Japanese consul in Russia. According to him, Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin was summoned to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, where he was «resolutely protested demanding an official apology.» At the same time, Hayashi noted that the actions of Russian law enforcement officers during the detention of a member of the Japanese diplomatic mission «did not comply with the norms of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Provisions of the Japan-Soviet Convention on Consular Relations». He also added that «there is no evidence that the designated employee was involved in any illegal activities.» detained by a Japanese diplomat
