Japan lodged a formal protest with Russia on Friday over Moscow’s decision to conduct missile tests near the disputed Kuril Islands, further escalating tensions between the two countries over the long-running territorial dispute.

A Japanese government spokesperson said Tokyo had protested after receiving notification of Russia’s plans to conduct missile drills off the disputed islands.

Japanese news agency Kyodo, citing Russia’s Pacific Fleet, reported that the missile test had already been carried out, although the exact timing remained unclear.

According to the report, a Russian military unit equipped with the Bastion coastal defense missile system conducted the exercise from Etorofu, the largest of the disputed islands.

The Russian Pacific Fleet’s Varyag guided-missile cruiser and the Omsk nuclear-powered submarine also reportedly participated in the exercise.

The drill simulated an attack on enemy vessels, with Russian forces claiming that all designated targets were successfully struck at distances of at least 300 kilometers.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi condemned Russia’s growing military presence on the disputed islands, describing the missile drills as unacceptable.

“We believe Russia's military buildup in the Northern Territories including these missile drills runs counter to Japan's position regarding the Northern Territories, and is unacceptable,” Motegi told reporters during a visit to Oman.

He said Tokyo could not accept moves aimed at strengthening Russia’s military capabilities on the four northern islands, adding that Japan would respond after comprehensively considering its national interests.

Japan refers to Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islets as the Northern Territories and maintains that they are inherently Japanese territory.

Russia, which has controlled the islands since the final stages of World War II, rejects Japan’s territorial claims.

Tensions intensified earlier this month after Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first official visit to the disputed islands on Aug. 13.

Japan summoned Russia’s ambassador following the visit and strongly objected to Putin’s presence in the territory claimed by Tokyo.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the islands as an inherent part of Japan’s territory under both historical claims and international law, saying Putin’s visit was deeply offensive to the Japanese people.

Putin visited the islands after traveling to nearby Sakhalin, where Russia’s military has been conducting exercises involving its Pacific Fleet.

Moscow has steadily strengthened its military infrastructure across the disputed island chain in recent years.

Russia deployed Bastion coastal defense missile systems to an island in the Kuril chain in December 2021. Earlier, in 2016, Moscow had deployed Bal and Bastion systems on two of the four southernmost disputed islands.

Russia has subsequently expanded its military presence with advanced air-defense systems, an air base on Etorofu and fighter aircraft.

The islands have considerable strategic importance for Moscow because of their location at the entrance to the Sea of Okhotsk. Their control provides Russia’s Pacific Fleet with access to the open Pacific without requiring its vessels to pass through waters controlled by Japan.

Relations between Tokyo and Moscow have deteriorated sharply since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022.

Japan joined the Group of Seven countries in imposing sanctions on Russia and has provided assistance to Ukraine, although Tokyo’s military support has largely been limited to non-lethal equipment.

Japan has relaxed some restrictions on defense exports in recent years but remains prohibited under its current framework from directly supplying lethal military equipment to countries engaged in armed conflict.

Japanese and international analysts have suggested that Putin’s recent visit to the Kuril Islands and Russia’s military activity in the region could also serve as a warning to Tokyo against further deepening its military and political support for Ukraine or strengthening security cooperation with NATO.

The latest missile tests, combined with Russia’s expanding military presence on the disputed islands and Putin’s recent visit, are likely to further complicate efforts to improve relations between Tokyo and Moscow. (ILKHA)