Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Friday for Moscow to immediately release a detained Japanese journalist, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
Motegi and Lavrov met on the sidelines of a Group of 20 foreign ministers gathering in the U.S. state of Georgia that began the same day.
The first formal meeting between the countries' foreign ministers in about five years took place amid souring bilateral relations following the imposition of sanctions on Russia by Japan and the other members of the Group of Seven over Moscow's war with Ukraine.
The two countries' fraying ties were dealt a further blow earlier this month when the Japanese journalist was detained on Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East on suspicion of espionage.
According to the Japanese ministry, Motegi and Lavrov agreed to continue communicating with each other despite the strained relations.
Regarding the war with Ukraine, triggered by Moscow's launch of a full-scale invasion in 2022, Motegi asked Russia to take steps to achieve a fair and lasting peace.
He also made clear Japan's position on outstanding bilateral issues, including those related to Russian-held islands off Hokkaido, the ministry said.
Tokyo protested Russian President Vladimir Putin's first-ever visit to one of the Japanese-claimed islands in August.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Lavrov stressed in the meeting that Japan needs to abandon its "unfriendly policy" toward Russia if a full-scale dialogue is to resume.
The ministry said Friday's meeting was held at Japan's request.
The Japanese national, a reporter with the Sapporo-based Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, was detained by Russia's FSB security agency on Oct. 13 and has since been remanded in custody. A consular visit by an official of the Japanese Embassy in Moscow was not granted until Monday.
Motegi and Lavrov held a short conversation in the Philippines in July on the sidelines of meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
A formal sit-down between the foreign ministers of the two countries was last held in September 2021.
