Russia detains Japanese correspondent on espionage charges

MOSCOW, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese correspondent who was detained on suspicion of espionage has been transferred to Moscow and placed in custody, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday.

The correspondent worked at the bureau of the Japanese newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, the administrative center of the Sakhalin region. The FSB's public relations center, quoted by TASS news agency, said he was detained in Sakhalin shortly before leaving Russia.

The FSB's investigative department has opened a criminal case against the Japanese correspondent under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers espionage, the agency said.

The FSB said that an investigation had established that the correspondent had collected and stored information related to Russia's defense capabilities, at the direction of a foreign intelligence service for use against Russia's security.

Lefortovo District Court in Moscow has ordered the suspect held in custody, the FSB added, noting that further investigative and operational measures are underway.