Russia runs spy unit from Tokyo to source war tech, NYT finds

A New York Times investigation published Saturday has revealed that a Russian military intelligence unit operates from a Tokyo high-rise, sourcing high-tech equipment that Russia needs to sustain its war in Ukraine. The report, by investigative journalist Jane Bradley, details how Vladimir Putin effectively turned Japan into a hub for covert procurement operations after Western nations expelled hundreds of Russian intelligence operatives following the 2022 invasion.nytimes+2

A 'Spy Paradise' Under Pressure

The revelations land amid growing alarm over Japan's vulnerability to foreign espionage. Japan has long been described as a "spy paradise" due to its lack of a dedicated anti-espionage law, a gap that foreign intelligence services have exploited for decades.rusi+1

The problem is not abstract. In January, Tokyo police referred a case to prosecutors involving a former official at Russia's trade representation in Japan who allegedly recruited a Japanese machine-tool company employee to hand over proprietary technology data. The Russian operative, believed to be an undercover agent of Moscow's Foreign Intelligence Service, had posed as a Ukrainian citizen to befriend the employee, eventually paying roughly 700,000 yen for classified industrial information.scmp+2

The broader picture is equally stark. According to Ukrainian Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Vladyslav Vlasiuk, components manufactured by Japanese companies appear in approximately 90 percent of Russian cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones used in the war. Internal Ukrainian government documents shared with Kyodo News in late June named 13 Japanese companies whose civilian electronics have been identified in systems including the Kh-101 cruise missile.euromaidanpress+2

Japan's Intelligence Overhaul

The accumulation of espionage cases and procurement leaks has spurred Japan's most ambitious intelligence reform since World War II. In May 2026, Japan's parliament passed legislation establishing a National Intelligence Council and National Intelligence Bureau, the first stage of a broader plan to build a centralized intelligence apparatus. A dedicated anti-spy law is expected later this year, followed by the creation of a foreign intelligence service in 2027.rusi+1

The Royal United Services Institute noted in a June analysis that the reforms reflect Japan's recognition that its existing legal framework "only applies to information that has been actively designated as secret by a government agency" and "does not criminalise acting as a clandestine agent for a foreign power."rusi

Wider Pattern of Russian Procurement

Japan is not alone in facing aggressive Russian intelligence collection. In May, the Associated Press reported that senior European intelligence officials warned Moscow's operatives are establishing fictitious companies, engaging intermediaries, and deploying cyber operatives across the continent to bypass sanctions. Britain's GCHQ director Anne Keast-Butler warned that Russia is "intensifying its daily hybrid operations against the U.K. and Europe."apnews+2

Japan's government has maintained its sanctions posture while acknowledging the complexity of relations with a neighboring state. In early July, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo would continue sanctions in coordination with the G7 while noting that "maintaining bilateral relations is important."tass