Japan protests Russia’s military exercises on the Kuril Islands
The Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, Yoshihide Suga said that a protest was sent to the embassy in Moscow regarding the military exercises on the Kuril Islands, TASS reports. Suga pointed out to that “the increased presence of the Russian army on the four northern islands contradicts Tokyo’s position on this territorial dispute.”
Japan believes that it’s necessary to solve the territorial problem at its roots. It is determined to conduct “persistent negotiations.” The Sankei Shimbun newspaper writes that the Russian military exercises are scheduled for October 10 to 13. This is the ninth exercises in the region in 2018.
This year’s newest round of military exercises contradicts Russia’s earlier position on the matter. The Russian military made concessions to Japan earlier, pledging not to use the Kuril Islands during its Vostok 2018 exercises.