Russian embassy in Japan wants to approach man who swam from Russia to Japan

The Russian embassy in Japan demanded access to the Russian citizen who swam from Kunashir Island of Russia's Kuril ridge to Japan's Hokkaido Island in an attempt to be granted diplomatic protection. 

According to Japanese migration authorities, it goes about the Russian national named Vaas Phoenix Nokard. In turn, the Russian embassy wants the Japanese side to allow employees of the general consulate of the Russian Federation in Sapporo to approach the citizen. Representatives of the department stressed out that it was necessary to ensure his legal rights, as well as to clarify the state of his health and conditions of his detention.

Earlier, the Japanese authorities refused to provide official information about the man who allegedly swam from Russia's Kunashir to Japan's Hokkaido.

Earlier, it was reported that the Russian citizen was detained by Japanese border guards after he  illegally arrived on the Japanese northern island of Hokkaido. The man swam to Japan to ask for political asylum, but the reasons were not specified. 

The distance from Kunashir to the eastern coast of Hokkaido amounts to nearly 20 kilometers. The man went to sea on August 17, but it remains unknown how he got to the territorial waters of Japan. On August 19, he was found by Japanese border guards.

The Russian man was delivered to the immigration bureau in Sapporo. Employees of the bureau are to decide whether the Russian citizen may receive temporary residence permit in Japan. If not, the Russian national will be deported to his homeland.

The man intends to appeal to the authorities of a third country to ask for asylum, Nippon TV channel said with reference to Japanese police officers.

According to Interfax, the refugee is a 40-year-old native of the Ural region. It was said that the man was an introverted, reticent person, a big fan of Japanese culture.