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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown
@jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
690 followers 91 following 710 posts
Professor of Political Science, Temple University Japan. Currently working on: “Spy Paradise: Russian Espionage against Japan, from the Cold War to Cyber Warfare.” This book is the sequel to “Cracking the Crab”.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · May 8
My book on the history of Russian espionage against Japan is now available for purchase.
(Also available via Amazon).
www.hurstpublishers.com/book/crackin...
Cracking the Crab | Hurst Publishers
The fascinating history of Russia’s secret agents targeting Japan, from the Edo shogunate to the Second World War.
www.hurstpublishers.com
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 15h
‪Japan’s govt had been successful in persuading G7 partners that, while Japan had cut oil & coal imports from Russia, it needed to continue importing Russian LNG. Consequently, Japan made no attempt to cut LNG imports from RU, which account for 9% of Japan’s total gas imports.‬
jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 15h
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tells Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato of the Trump administration’s “expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy.” www.reuters.com/business/ene...
www.reuters.com
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 1d
A record number of Russian tourists visited Japan in Sept.
29,700 Russians visited Japan during Sept, an increase of 108% compared to a year earlier.
While govt-to-govt relations remain frosty, large numbers of Russians continue to make use of JPN’s accommodating visa regime.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 1d
Zakharova: “Tokyo should stop copying the West in churning out Russophobic campaigns & return to its own national problems”.

RU wants JPN to see UKR as a distant issue. The problem is that, by allying with DPRK, RU has made itself a facilitator of the North Korean threat to JPN.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 1d
Japan has completed the delivery of a further 30 military vehicles to Ukraine. This takes the total of former SDF vehicles provided by Japan to Ukraine to 131.
www.ukrinform.jp/amp/rubric-d...
日本、自衛隊車両３０台のウクライナへの発送完了
www.ukrinform.jp
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 1d
Map of the activity of a Russian IL-20 intelligence-gathering aircraft close to Japan. Japan’s SDF scrambled jets in response. This is a different aircraft from the IL-20 previously observed operating near Japan. This IL-20 had not previously been observed. www.mod.go.jp/js/pdf/2025/...
www.mod.go.jp
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 1d
Japan issues diplomatic protest after Russia suspends right to innocent passage around the JPN-claimed N Territories. RU is holding live-fire drills near Shikotan from 5 Oct to 1 Nov.
In recent years, RU has regularly suspended innocent passage around the islands.
news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_politic...
林長官「受け入れられない」と抗議　ロシアが北方領土周辺で無害通航権停止通告
ロシアが北方領土周辺の海域で他国の船の無害通航を一時停止すると通告したことに対し、林官房長官は「受け入れられない」と抗議しました。 林官房長官 「外交ルートを通じて、北方四島に関するわが国の立場に反するものであり、受け入れられない旨、抗議をしたところでございます」 　ロシア側は5日、色丹島周辺の日本の領海を含む海域で11月1日まで射撃訓練を行うとの航行警報を発しました。 　さらに、北方四島周...
news.tv-asahi.co.jp
jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 5d
Takaichi and Russia. “Even if you invited me, I wouldn’t go.”
The article explains that, despite being close to Abe, Takaichi has always held a tough stance towards Russia & has insisted on Japan’s right to all four of the northern islands. www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1222...
「招かれても行かんわい！」　ロシア入国禁止の高市新総裁、注目される対ロ外交手腕＜渡辺玲男編集委員のロシア・ウオッチ＞#19：北海道新聞デジタル
自民党総裁選は、高市早苗前経済安全保障担当相が勝利し、日本初の女性首相が誕生する見通しとなりました。これまで閣僚や党の要職を歴任してきた高市氏の手腕で未知数なのが対ロ政策です。　タカ派色が強く、中国や...
www.hokkaido-np.co.jp
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 6d
Russian imports of used Japanese cars fall.
In the first 9 months of 2025, Russia imported 150,000 used cars from Japan, a decline of 10% compared with same period in 2024. More than half the cars imported by Russia from Japan were more than 7 years old. iz.ru/1969734/2025...
Импорт б/у автомобилей из Японии в Россию сократился на 10%
За девять месяцев 2025 года импорт подержанных автомобилей из Японии в России сократился на 10% относительно аналогичного периода прошлого года и составил 150 тыс. единиц. В сентябре ввоз составил 18,...
iz.ru
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 8d
Moscow waits to see what the policy of Japan’s forthcoming govt will be towards Russia. Dep FM Rudenko sounds unusually positive: “We always expect Japan’s policy toward Russia to be rational & pragmatic since we’re natural geographic partners.”
jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 8d
Zelenskyy names Japan as one of the countries whose components continue to be used in Russian drones & missiles. He says that optoisolators for Russian cruise missiles are made in Japan. Zelenskyy also mentions components from US, PRC, Taiwan, UK, ROK, Germany. www.president.gov.ua/en/news/u-dr...
www.president.gov.ua
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 8d
After Trump dissolved USAID, foreign aid became a prominent topic. RU actors used this as opportunity to push Japanese-language articles/posts that called for Japan to also cut aid & dismantle JICA. The aim was to spur opposition to Japan’s generous financial support for Ukraine.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 8d
Research by Japan govt finds big increase in information activity by Russia against Japan since start of 2025. Sputnik Japan & the RU embassy in Japan produced articles & posts encouraging the Japanese public to oppose foreign aid, incl. to Ukraine. www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/202...
ロシアがＳＮＳで対日情報戦、ウクライナ支援を批判する投稿急増…今年１月以降
【読売新聞】　ロシアの国営メディアや在日公館が今年に入り、日本のウクライナ支援などを批判する日本語の投稿をＳＮＳなどで急増させていたことが日本政府の分析で判明した。政府は、ロシアが情報戦を仕掛けて日本の世論の分断を助長し、ウクライナ
www.yomiuri.co.jp
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 8d
Qilin, a Russian-speaking group of cybercriminals, has claimed responsibility for the ongoing cyberattack on Japan’s Asahi Holdings. The ransomware group claims to have stolen the company’s financial data & personal details of employees. news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/n...
アサヒグループHDのサイバー攻撃で”Qilin”が犯行声明 | NHKニュース
【NHK】サイバー攻撃によるシステム障害が起きている「アサヒグループホールディングス」について、ハッカー集団が、一部の従業員の個人
news.web.nhk
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 9d
There was uproar in July when Sanseito’s Saya gave an interview to Sputnik. This included condemnation from LDP members. Yet, Suzuki Muneo, who is now back with the LDP, regularly gives interviews to Russian state media, including to RIA Novosti which is part of same media group as Sputnik.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 9d
Incidentally, the pro-Russian Suzuki Muneo will have close ties with the Takaichi administration because his daughter, Suzuki Takako, is expected to be appointed chair of the LDP's public relations headquarters. newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/2...
【独自】自民・広報本部長に鈴木元外務副大臣の起用固める | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)
自民党の高市総裁は、新しい広報本部長に鈴木貴子・元外務副大臣を起用する方針を固めました。鈴木氏は、総裁選の決選投票で高市氏に投票した茂木前幹事長の側近です。 (1ページ)
newsdig.tbs.co.jp
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 9d
It’s true that, if he becomes FM, Motegi would be likely to be somewhat warmer to RU than Iwaya, who’s been a strong supporter of Ukraine.
Still, I see no real signs that Takaichi will revive the Russia policy of her mentor Abe. She has made many comments highly critical of RU’s invasion.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 9d
LDP Diet member Suzuki Muneo tells Russian state media that he expects Japan-Russia relations to improve after Takaichi becomes PM. He predicts that she will appoint Motegi as foreign minister.
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 9d
Russia’s intelligence-gathering ship remains active near Japan. After passing through the Tsushima Strait on 3-4 Oct, the Vishnya-class vessel passed between Okinawa and Miyako-jima on 6 Oct.
www.mod.go.jp/js/pdf/2025/...
www.mod.go.jp
jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 9d
On 5-6 Oct, 3 Russian naval ships passed between Japan’s Iriomote-jima and Yonaguni, the closest Japanese island to Taiwan. The ships were a Udaloi-class destroyer, a Steregushchiy-class corvette & an oiler. www.mod.go.jp/js/pdf/2025/...
www.mod.go.jp
jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 10d
Exports of Russian fish & seafood to Japan increased 15% in Jan-Aug 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The total volume was 82,000 tonnes, worth $606m. www.vedomosti.ru/business/new...
Россия увеличила поставки рыбы и морепродуктов в Японию на 15%
Подробности читайте на vedomosti.ru
www.vedomosti.ru
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 10d
4 October was the 130th anniversary of Richard Sorge’s birth.

Read about the legendary Soviet spy and his equally fascinating contemporaries in my new book about Russian espionage against Japan.
www.hurstpublishers.com/book/crackin...
Cracking the Crab | Hurst Publishers
The fascinating history of Russia’s secret agents targeting Japan, from the Edo shogunate to the Second World War.
www.hurstpublishers.com
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 10d
A Japanese govt survey finds that Russian state media have been actively spreading articles & posts in Japanese that criticise Japan’s foreign aid policy.
The aim may be to inflame right-wing opinion in Japan & to encourage opposition to aid to Ukraine. www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZ...
ロシア「国際協力」で日本に情報操作　途上国支援、SNSで批判あおる - 日本経済新聞
日本の国際開発協力に揺さぶりをかけるため、ロシアが情報操作を仕掛けている実態の一端が政府の調査でわかった。トランプ米政権による米国際開発局（USAID）の閉鎖などに絡め、途上国支援にネガティブな印象を与える情報を拡散させた。経済外交の重要なツールである開発協力の分野で、世論の分断をはかっている可能性がある。規制緩い日本、情報操作受けやすくロシアは自国メディアのスプートニクやプラウダなどを使っ
www.nikkei.com
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 11d
Patrushev’s visit to disputed Etorofu/Iturup has been cancelled. A reason has not been given but it’s not unusual for trips to the N Territories to be cancelled due to bad weather, often fog.
No prominent Russian official has visited the S Kurils this year www.sankei.com/article/2025...
ロシア高官の択捉島訪問中止　プーチン大統領側近の強硬派・パトルシェフ氏
4日に北方領土・択捉島入りを計画していたロシアのパトルシェフ大統領補佐官の現地入りが中止になった。地元関係者が共同通信に明らかにした。中止の理由は不明。パトル…
www.sankei.com
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jamesdjbrown.bsky.social
James D.J. Brown @jamesdjbrown.bsky.social · 12d
China is reported to have removed mentions of Crimea & Sevastopol from its Foreign Ministry page about Ukraine. Beijing has not formally recognised Russia’s annexation of Crimea, though this move suggests it is leaning ever more towards Russia’s side. www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1219...
中国、クリミア半島の記述を削除　外務省サイト、ロシアに配慮か：北海道新聞デジタル
【北京共同】香港紙の星島日報などは3日までに、中国外務省公式サイトのウクライナの国家概況を紹介するページから、ロシアが2014年に併合したウクライナ南部クリミア半島に関する記述が削除されたと伝えた。...
www.hokkaido-np.co.jp
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