The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association issued a statement on November 11, protesting the detention of a Japanese reporter by Russian authorities.

Also known as Minporen, the association, which Nippon TV is a member of, said it firmly protests the unjust detention of a reporter for Hokkaido Shimbun, a newspaper serving Japan’s northernmost prefecture, and strongly demands the reporter’s immediate release.

Nearly one month has passed since the reporter was detained by local authorities in Russia's Sakhalin region.

In the statement, Minporen acknowledged that relations between Japan and Russia have become extremely strained since Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.

However, it emphasized that diplomatic relations between countries and the legitimate reporting activities of the media must be strictly separated.

The association called on Russian authorities to guarantee an environment in which all journalists can work safely.

On the same day, the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association and the Japan National Press Club also issued protest statements calling for the reporter’s immediate release.

watch the video on YouTube: Japan broadcasters demand release of reporter detained in Russia

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The following is an English translation of Minporen’s statement:

Statement of protest against the detention of a Hokkaido Shimbun reporter by Russian authorities

By the Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association
November 11, 2026

Nearly one month has passed since a reporter for The Hokkaido Shimbun Press was detained by local authorities in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia, on October 13.

Although the Japanese government has been strongly seeking the reporter's immediate release, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) continues to hold the reporter on suspicion of espionage, and no breakthrough has yet been achieved.

The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association, whose members include commercial broadcasting companies from across Japan, firmly protests this unjust detention by the Russian authorities and strongly calls for the reporter's immediate release.

Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are indispensable to a democratic society. Unjust obstruction of legitimate news-gathering activities is absolutely unacceptable for any reason.

Since Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, relations between Japan and Russia have been extremely strained, but diplomatic relations between countries and the legitimate newsgathering activities of the media must be strictly separated.

The ability of news organizations to report accurate and impartial facts from the ground contributes to mutual understanding within the international community and ultimately serves the interests of all parties.

The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association once again strongly urges the Russian authorities to ensure the reporter's safety and secure his immediate release, while also demanding guarantees that all journalists can carry out their work in a safe environment.