The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau is investigating a case involving a former employee of a machine tool manufacturer who is suspected of disclosing trade secrets to a person connected with the Russian government. This investigation was prompted when this former employee, in his thirties, reportedly met someone on the street who identified himself as a Ukrainian. Initial contact was made in April 2023 when the foreign man approached the employee seeking directions, subsequently leading to multiple meetings to discuss technological interests.

During these encounters, the Ukrainian man expressed a keen interest in the technology related to the work at the employee's company and requested to meet several times, allegedly in exchange for monetary compensation or gifts. The investigation has brought to light the possibility of espionage, as the former employee has been charged with violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Law for disclosing business secrets. The police are digging deeper into how these two individuals communicated and if there were any intentions behind these interactions.

This incident raises concerns regarding industrial espionage as an increasing number of foreign entities, particularly from adversarial countries, have shown interest in Japanese technological advancements. As the investigations continue, it casts a shadow on the security measures in place regarding sensitive company information and the ease with which a foreigner could engage with an employee to exploit these vulnerabilities.