PRESS CONFERENCE
Spy Paradise: Japan Confronts Its Espionage Problem
Sergiy Korsunsky, Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Japan
James D.J. Brown, Professor, Temple University

15:00-16:00 Thursday, August 27, 2026
Language: The speech and Q & A will be in English.

Japan has long been seen as a "spy paradise," lacking both its own intelligence agency and statutes against espionage. The stakes were laid bare by a New York Times article in July detailing a Russian intelligence unit operating under commercial cover in Tokyo to acquire technology for missiles and drones used against Ukraine.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration is expected to take up anti-espionage legislation in the autumn Diet session, including a registration system for foreign agents. The Club has invited two speakers with unique insights to brief members on the current state of affairs.

Sergiy Korsunsky served as Ukraine's ambassador to Japan during the first years of Russia's 2022 invasion of his country, becoming Kyiv's most visible advocate in Tokyo. He serves now as a Distinguished Global Scholar at Temple University Japan and as a senior advisor to Nihon Cyber Defence.

James D.J. Brown is professor of political science at Temple University Japan and an expert on relations between Tokyo and Moscow. He is the author of Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge and its upcoming follow-up, Spy Paradise: Russian Espionage against Japan, from the Cold War to Cyber Warfare.

How to attend: 
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/mYp4x8KNG17Py5Wx9

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.

Professional Activities Committee