TOKYO: Japan said on Friday it had called for the immediate release of assets of a tobacco company seized in Russia, as relations with Moscow sour following the arrest of a Japanese journalist on spying allegations.

The seizure, which the Kremlin ordered on Thursday, is the latest move against a foreign company’s Russian operations under rules that Moscow casts as retribution for international sanctions.

Japan Tobacco is one of the world’s biggest tobacco companies and holds around 40 per cent of the Russian cigarette market.

Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that two senior officials from Tokyo visiting Russia “had lodged a protest with the Russian government together with the ambassador of Japan to Russia, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the measure”.

Japan Tobacco said four of the group’s manufacturing subsidiaries had been placed under temporary control and it was assessing “possible actions”.

“Our group has continued its business operations in Russia while complying with all domestic and international sanctions and regulations,” the firm said in a statement.

A decree issued by President Vladimir Putin said the assets would be taken into “temporary administration”.

Control of the company’s Russian operations has been handed to a company called “Industrial Assets”, the decree stipulated.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2026