A Belarusian court has sentenced Japanese citizen Nakanishi Masato to 7 years in prison for collaborating with foreign intelligence services. This was reported by the Zerkalo newspaper, citing the Prosecutor General's Office of Belarus.
Accusation and verdict
According to the Belarusian government, Nakanishi Masato was engaged in agent activities in the country from 2018 to 2024. He was found guilty of "collaborating with the intelligence, security and intelligence services of a foreign state in order to harm the national security of Belarus."
The court sentenced him to a maximum security colony and a fine of 21,000 Belarusian rubles (about $6,400). He was reportedly arrested in July 2024. A few months later, the state-run Belarus 1 TV channel aired a special report about him, announcing the arrest of a Japanese intelligence officer in Gomel.
Another Japanese citizen arrested
In December, it was reported that another Japanese citizen had been arrested in Belarus. His name was not disclosed, but reports said that he was the author of the travel blog Eteru, who traveled around the world and provided information about the transport and infrastructure of various countries. He was arrested while photographing a bridge in the Gomel region.
It is not yet known how these events will affect diplomatic relations between Japan and Belarus, but official Tokyo is expected to comment on the matter.
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