Russia Issues Strong Objection to Japan's Planned Military Exercises
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Synopsis
On April 18, Russia formally protested against Japan's upcoming anti-ship missile drills near its borders, deeming them a potential threat to national security. The drills, set for June, involve Type-88 missiles on Hokkaido Island. Moscow warns of necessary countermeasures while tensions in Northeast Asia rise.
Key Takeaways
- Russia expressed strong objections to Japan's military drills.
- Exercises involve Type-88 missiles near Russian borders.
- Moscow regards the drills as a threat to national security.
- Preparations for the drills are confirmed by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary.
- Heightened military tensions noted in Northeast Asia.
Moscow, April 18 (NationPress) Russia has formally expressed its discontent to Japan regarding Tokyo's intentions to carry out anti-ship missile exercises close to Russian borders, as stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Russia presented a formal complaint to the Japanese Embassy in Moscow concerning Japan's scheduled training maneuvers with the SSM-1 anti-ship missile systems, armed with Type-88 missiles, on Hokkaido Island adjacent to the Russian border in June, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
It emphasized that Moscow views such “provocative” military actions near its borders as a “potential threat to national security,” asserting that Tokyo's activities escalate tensions in Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
“Russia reserves the right to undertake all necessary countermeasures” to safeguard its security along its Far Eastern frontiers, the Foreign Ministry cautioned.
Previous reports have suggested that Japan's Self-Defense Forces are preparing to execute live-fire training exercises utilizing anti-ship missiles at the Shizunai range in Hokkaido, a locale that borders Russia, this summer.
The drills will make use of Type 88 surface-to-ship missiles.
While Japan had previously conducted analogous exercises beyond its national borders due to the missile's range—approximately 150 km or more—which could jeopardize safety at sea and in airspace, it has now opted to conduct drills within Japanese territory with defined range limitations.
The Shizunai range, located on the southern coast of Hokkaido facing the Pacific Ocean, will serve as the venue for these exercises.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has verified that preparations for these drills are currently in progress.
Recently, Russian and Chinese naval vessels participated in joint exercises in the Sea of Japan, part of a significant naval operation that Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed was the largest of its kind in three decades.
Last week, a Chinese aircraft carrier navigated between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time, an event that Japan deemed “totally unacceptable from the perspective of the security environment of Japan and the region.”
In 2023, an aircraft thought to be Russian, though not confirmed, entered Japanese airspace, as reported by Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara.
