Russia takes control of Japan Tobacco subsidiary's assets - NHKニュース

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday placing assets owned by an overseas subsidiary of Japan Tobacco under the temporary management of a Russian company.

The order covers four manufacturing facilities held by JT International, or JTI, in Russia.

JTI's website shows that they are located in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city; the northwestern region of Leningrad; the southern city of Rostov-on-Don; and the Lipetsk region, south of Moscow.

Russia's state-run Tass news agency says a presidential decree issued in April 2023 allows assets in the nation owned by entities from countries Moscow calls "unfriendly" to be placed under the temporary management of the Russian government or designated firms.

"Unfriendly" countries refers to those that have imposed sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has placed businesses from such countries under temporary management in recent years.

Western media say the companies targeted include a French dairy producer and a Danish brewer in 2023, as well as a Swiss food company and a French supermarket operator in September.

The Associated Press reports that Western businesses placed under temporary management have ended up being sold to Russian owners at heavily discounted prices.

Russia has also recently taken steps that appear aimed at straining relations with Japan.

Putin visited Etorofu Island for the first time in August. It is one of the Russian-controlled islands claimed by Japan. The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says the islands were illegally occupied after World War Two.

Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB, detained a journalist from The Hokkaido Shimbun Press on October 13 in the Far Eastern region of Sakhalin on suspicion of espionage.