The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a strong protest to the Japanese embassy in Moscow over Tokyo's intention to hold a series of joint military exercises with Germany and Spain near the Russian border.
"On June 28, a strong protest was lodged with the Japanese Embassy in Russia regarding the Tokyo authorities' plans to hold a series of joint military exercises with Germany and Spain on Hokkaido Island (close to the Russian border) from July 19 to 25," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added: "The Japanese side has been informed of the inadmissibility of carrying out provocative military activity near the far eastern border of our country, in cooperation with member states of NATO. We consider such activity a potential threat to the security of the Russian Federation."
The Russian side stressed that the irresponsible policy of the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida administration puts Tokyo on the path of dangerous escalation of tensions in Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
The ministry concluded: “We warned of taking appropriate countermeasures to strengthen defense capabilities and protect the sovereignty of the Russian Federation.”
Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara had previously stated that the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces would conduct separate exercises with the air forces of France, Germany and Spain in the summer. According to him, the air forces of the three European countries will visit Japan in July.
The Japanese Armed Forces' exercises with NATO countries have intensified since 2021, and these exercises are linked to a significant expansion of Tokyo's communications with NATO.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida intends to attend the next NATO summit in July in Washington , and in previous years he has attended such meetings in Madrid and Vilnius.
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