Japan Protests Russian Missile Tests near Disputed Islands
Tokyo issued a formal protest after Russia fired coastal missiles from Etorofu, the largest of the contested islands. A guided-missile cruiser and nuclear-powered submarine supported the test.
Tokyo1 min read
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Japan lodged a formal protest with Russia over a missile test conducted off the disputed islands known in Japan as the Northern Territories. The test involved a coastal missile system firing from Etorofu, the largest island in the chain.
A guided-missile cruiser and a nuclear-powered submarine supported the exercise. Russian President Vladimir Putin had visited the islands earlier this month.
Japan claims the islands, which Russia administers as the Southern Kurils. The territorial dispute has blocked a formal peace treaty since the end of the Second World War.
Tokyo described the test as unacceptable and called for restraint. Russian forces regularly conduct drills in the region. The latest firing adds to recent tensions after North Korea also launched missiles in the same period.
