A Japanese citizen was arrested and detained in Tehran, leading to formal demands from Japan for their immediate release, said Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki on Wednesday.
While the Japanese government has not identified the individual, reports indicate that the detainee is Shinnosuke Kawashima, Tehran bureau chief of NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster.
Ozaki stated that Japanese officials have maintained contact with the detainee and their family and have provided necessary support. Iranian authorities have not permitted Japanese officials to conduct an in-person visit.
Specific charges against the detainee remain unclear. They were reportedly arrested in Tehran and transferred to Evin Prison, a facility internationally recognized for detaining political prisoners and from which stems allegations of torture, solitary confinement, and international law violations. Families of Evin Prison detainees have previously reported losing all contact with their relatives following arrest.
The detention and Japanese demands come during social unrest in Iran following a wave of protests that began on December 28. Human Rights Watch has documented significant human rights abuses in Iran since then, including mass arbitrary arrests, detention of children, torture, and enforced disappearances of protesters, particularly related to January demonstrations.
Japan and Iran have historically maintained amicable diplomatic relations. In 2019, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sought to mediate tensions between Iran and the US. Japan was previously a significant importer of Iranian oil, but ceased imports following the expiration of US sanctions waivers in 2019.
AloJapan.com