In this week’s news roundup we report on the arrest of Hokkaido Shimbun journalist Yuki Imai in Russia. Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet approval ratings fall again. Arata Takebe replaces Kazuo Yana as agriculture minister. The Yokohama mayoral election sees a surge in early voting with Atsumi Harasawa reportedly leading the way. A Nagoya family seeks murder charges after a 23-year-old woman dies when a man jumps from an apartment building. And in sport, Shohei Ohtani’s struggles continue as the LA Dodgers face elimination in the National League Championship Series.

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Japanese Journalist Yuki Imai Arrested in Russia on Espionage Charges

Japanese journalist Yuki Imai was detained by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on Sakhalin Island in the country’s Far East on Tuesday, just a day before he was due to leave Russia. A correspondent for the Hokkaido Shimbun, Imai is accused by Russian authorities of gathering intelligence on Moscow’s defence capabilities on behalf of Tokyo. He was subsequently transferred to Moscow and charged with espionage under Article 276 of Russia’s Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years. Japan has denied engaging in espionage in Russia.

“There is no such fact,” Takaichi told reporters. She added that “the protection of Japanese nationals is important right now, and we intend to focus our efforts on that.” Japan’s Foreign Ministry has since summoned Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolay Nozdrev. The arrest comes amid strained relations between the two countries, following President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril Islands in August. Russian authorities allege that Imai “acted on the instructions of [Japan’s] national intelligence service” to gather information about people involved in a special military operation on the islands.

Sanae Takaichi’s Cabinet Approval Ratings Fall Again 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet approval rating fell for the fifth consecutive month to 42.4% in October, its lowest level since she took office a year ago, a Jiji Press survey showed Thursday. The figure dropped 1.7 percentage points from September, while disapproval rose to 29.7%. The decline apparently reflected public dissatisfaction with Takaichi’s decision not to dismiss embattled Agriculture Minister Kazuo Yana, who resigned on Wednesday. The findings highlight the political challenges facing Japan’s first female prime minister as she seeks to maintain public support.

Meanwhile, Takaichi has acknowledged the additional demands of balancing her political responsibilities with household duties, saying she spends three or four more hours on them than her male predecessors. She described preparing breakfast, washing dishes and applying makeup before beginning her demanding workday. Known as a workaholic, she has previously reported sleeping just two to four hours nightly. Takaichi also expressed concern that lengthy parliamentary sessions and piles of documents leave her little time to consider her long-term vision for Japan, raising questions about the sustainability of her workload. 

Arata Takebe Replaces Kazuo Yana as Agriculture Minister 

Arata Takebe was appointed as the new Japanese agriculture minister on Thursday after Yana’s resignation. Yana became the first member of Takaichi’s Cabinet to step down following criticism over remarks suggesting he would cut road funding for municipalities that did not support him.  “I submitted my resignation because I can’t continue to create more trouble with parliamentary deliberations. I also felt that I needed to avoid a situation where I’d no longer be able to concentrate on (my ministerial duties) for agricultural, forestry and fisheries administration,” Yana said.

In May 2026, Yana told supporters in his home district of Tochigi that he slashed fiscal 2026 road budgets for two municipalities whose mayors did not back him in the February House of Representatives election. He later retracted the remarks and apologized, saying they were factually inaccurate, but questions remained over whether he improperly influenced the budget allocations. Yana also faced allegations that he provided free shuttle bus services to supporters during previous lower house election campaigns, potentially violating the Public Offices Election Act.

Yokohama Mayoral Election Sees Surge in Early Voting

With the Yokohama mayoral election days away, early voting is running about 30% ahead of the same point in last year’s race. By October 11, a total of 156,359 voters had cast their ballots early, according to the city’s election administration commission — adding fresh momentum to a contest that features an unexpected candidate: Riken Yamamoto, the 81-year-old architect who won the 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize, widely regarded as architecture’s highest honor. His candidacy has drawn added attention to an election called following the resignation of incumbent Mayor Takeharu Yamanaka.

Yamanaka resigned following an investigation committee’s findings of harassment against senior city officials. Investigators found that he shouted at employees, threw documents, barred senior staff from his office and directed severe verbal insults at subordinates. Despite the investigation and his resignation, Yamanaka has decided to seek another term, returning to the race alongside Yamamoto and five other candidates. They include Atsumi Harasawa, a lawyer and former JAL aircraft mechanic who is backed by multiple major political parties. Harasawa and Yamanaka are seen as the leading contenders.

‘Not Just an Accident’: Family Seeks Murder Charge in Fatal Nagoya Fall

On the night of July 19, 2026, 23-year-old Hora Inaba was walking with a friend along a busy street in Nagoya’s Sakae district after dinner when a suicidal man jumped from the 11th-floor balcony of an apartment building and struck her. The impact caused fatal blood loss. The man was arrested on suspicion of causing death through gross negligence. Inaba’s family argues that the case warrants a more serious charge: murder based on dolus eventualis, or the acceptance of the possibility that one’s actions could cause another person’s death.

In a petition signed by more than 46,000 people, Inaba’s family urges prosecutors to pursue a murder charge and investigate whether the suspect knowingly risked killing someone when he jumped. They argue that the busy pedestrian area and clear visibility below are relevant to establishing his awareness of the danger. During three meetings with the family, the suspect admitted jumping despite the risk of killing someone. He acknowledged considering the possibility of causing serious harm but said his desire to die had taken precedence.

Ohtani Homers, Yet Dodgers’ Three-Peat Dream Dies

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been eliminated from the Major League Baseball playoffs after losing 6-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday. The defeat ended the defending champions’ bid for a third straight title. The situation looked promising early on for the Dodgers when Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning to give them a 4-0 lead. The Brewers, however, stormed back to secure the National League pennant.

Meanwhile, Japan’s professional baseball postseason is underway, with teams in the Central and Pacific leagues competing for a place in the Japan Series, which begins on October 24. The Yokohama DeNA BayStars swept the Yomiuri Giants in the Central League’s first-stage playoffs, while the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters eliminated the Saitama Seibu Lions in the Pacific League. The BayStars currently lead the Hanshin Tigers 2-1 in the Central League Climax Series Final Stage, while the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks lead the Fighters 4-0 in the Pacific League Climax Series Final Stage.

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Updated On October 16, 2026