Russia arrests Japanese diplomat for soliciting restricted information

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Russia arrests Japanese diplomat for soliciting restricted information

MOSCOW AP -- Russia said on Monday it had arrested a Japanese diplomat in the eastern city of Vladivostok for soliciting restricted information, Russian news agencies reported.

A Japanese diplomat was held red-handed while receiving information about Russia's cooperation with another country in the Asia-Pacific region, the FSB, the KGB's successor agency, was cited as saying, without specifying the country.

According to the news agencies, the diplomat, named as Vladivostok-based consul Motoki Tatsunori, was accused of seeking information on the impact of Western sanctions on the surrounding Primoriye region.

Russia's foreign ministry said that Tatsunori had been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country within 48 hours.

Since Tokyo joined the U.S. EU and their Western allies in slapping sanctions on Moscow after Russian troops entered Ukraine on February 24th, the Kremlin has repeatedly referred to Japan as a hostile country.

The Japanese authorities have not yet commented on the incident.