"It violates human rights." What is known about the case of a detained Japanese in Belarus
On September 4, it became known that Japanese citizen Nakanishi Masatoshi was detained in Belarus. The Japanese man was detained back in July 2024, but the details of his persecution were made public only now. Nakanishi is held in the KGB pre-trial detention center on charges of "agent activity" (Article 358-1 of the Criminal Code). The Japanese citizen in Belarus faces up to seven years in a penal colony. Immediately after the news were released on the state BT channel, Tokyo protested in the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The Secretary General of the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said that the content of the TV news report violates human rights. Viasna reports everything that is known about the case of the detained Japanese.
- Nakanishi Masatoshi. Screenshot from BT channel
On September fifth, BT channel released a news report about the charge of the Japanese man. According to propagandists, in 2008 Masatoshi began traveling to Eastern European countries that are part of the Chinese Belt and Road initiative. He did this, allegedly, to collect intelligence.
Kanstantsin Bychak, head of the KGB Investigation Department, voiced the accusation:
"While on the territory of our country, he collected and transmitted military intelligence information to the Japanese special services. In particular, about the Belarusian military infrastructure, the movement of troops and military equipment, the current situation on the south, and so on."
- Screenshot from BT channel
He married a Belarusian woman, and then divorced. Nakanishi is a lawyer by education, and he taught at the Francisk Skorina Gomel State University. He founded the BelNihonInternational company in Belarus. But, according to the propagandist, all this was for cover.
- Nakanishi Masatoshi
Nikonisi, it is claimed, had a supervisor and constantly reported to him, and repeatedly met with an embassy employee late at night. He often traveled from Homieĺ to settlements near the Ukrainian border and photographed there. He took photos of transport, roads, bridges, railways, train stations, and the airport. He took more than 9 thousand photos from the Belarusian-Ukrainian border, propaganda claims. The report showed footage of the Japanese man shot with a hidden camera. According to BT channel, Nakanishi also allegedly traveled to the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve and contacted Belarusian enterprises to get economic information.
- Nakanishi Masatoshi
Tokyo's reaction
Tokyo confirmed that a Japanese citizen was detained in Belarus. He is receiving consular assistance, but the details of the case have not been disclosed.
"The Japanese Embassy has confirmed that a man in his 50s has been detained by local authorities for violating domestic law. At the consular meeting with the citizen, we were convinced that he did not have any special health problems," said the Chief Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan.
On the evening of September 5, through the Tokyo embassy, he protested to Minsk after the release of the TV report about the Japanese man arrested in Belarus. The protest, among other things, refers to the violation of the rights of the detainee. According to Hayashi, the Japanese side believes that the content of the report violates human rights.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa said the TV report was "extremely regrettable."
"We will provide maximum support for protecting our citizens."
