A visit to Japan by Col. Gen. Yuri Burkeyev, commander in chief of the Russian Ground Forces, may be postponed in the wake of last week's arrest of a Maritime Self-Defense Force officer on charges of spying for a Russian Embassy official in Tokyo, according to Defense Agency sources.
On Wednesday, Russian news agency ITAR-Tass reported that Burkeyev will travel to Japan as scheduled next Tuesday, but Defense Agency sources said the trip might be postponed.
A decision will be made after Defense Agency chief Kazuo Torashima returns from the U.S. on Thursday.