September 5, Pozirk. A Japanese man in his 50s was arrested in Belarus on July 9 for allegedly violating Belarusian laws, the Japanese embassy in Belarus told NHK after Belarusian state-run TV announced an upcoming report on the arrest of a suspected Japanese spy.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa has confirmed the arrest as he spoke to journalists in Tokyo, noting that Japanese diplomats in Minsk saw the man and contacted his family members.
The arrested is in good health, the official said yet did not disclose any further details, citing the case under investigation and personal data protection.
The Japanese government will continue to offer maximum support to the arrested, he stressed.
Belarusian state-run TV identified the man as Nakanishi Masatoshi. He could have worked as Japanese language instructor at Homiel State University, according to Naša Niva.
