Russia warns Japan over joint military exercises with U.S.

[beijingwalker]

Russia warns Japan over joint military exercises with U.S.​

A U.S. Navy sailor aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier watches as the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Inazuma destroyer sails in formation during a U.S.-Japan bilateral exercise on April 12. | U.S. NAVY
BY JESSE JOHNSON
Apr 26, 2022


Moscow has warned Tokyo that an expansion of joint U.S.-Japan naval exercises near Russian territory would force it to take “retaliatory measures,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov said Tuesday.

Morgulov told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency that the ramped-up intensity of joint U.S.-Japan naval exercises in the area has prompted “an increase in tensions.”

“We see such actions by the Japanese side as a threat to the security of our country,” he was quoted as saying.

“We have directly warned Tokyo about this through diplomatic channels. They should be prepared for the fact that if such practices expand, Russia will take retaliatory measures in the interests of strengthening its defense capabilities,” he added.

From April 8 to 17, the Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers Kongo and Inazuma joined the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group for joint military exercises in the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and Philippine Sea. The drills included “enhanced maritime communication operations, air warfare training, and various other drills to hone in on integrated maritime operations and combat readiness,” according to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet.

Morgulov said while the military exercises in question have been joined by other nations, including NATO members, and are often portrayed as defensive, they “are potentially offensive in nature.”

The exercises came as Japan protested Moscow’s April 14 announcement that it had test-fired advanced Kalibr cruise missiles from two Russian Navy submarines in the Sea of Japan, the latest in a string of high-profile military exercises in the region by Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine in late February.

According to the Japanese Defense Ministry, the Russian military has used exercises in the Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk and on or near the disputed islets to highlight its advanced weaponry and ability to operate in both the European and Asian theaters simultaneously amid the war in Ukraine.

“It’s believed that the Russian Navy intends to demonstrate the modernization of its naval power both domestically and internationally, even under the current circumstances,” Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said earlier this month, referring to the war in Ukraine.

Russian military activity in the area has ticked up in recent weeks, including on nearby disputed islands known in Japan as the Northern Territories. On March 28, Tokyo lodged a protest with Moscow through diplomatic channels over drills on the islands involving around 3,000 troops.

But Morgulov on Tuesday criticized the Japanese side for stressing that Russian “activity” in the Far East has “justified” holding military exercises on Russia’s doorstep.

Ties between Moscow and Tokyo have plunged to new lows amid the Ukraine war.

Last week, Japan followed through on two of its measures to punish Russia for the invasion, expelling diplomats and taking legislative steps to formally revoke Moscow’s favorable trading status after joining Western nations in slapping onerous economic sanctions on the country.

Russia warns Japan over joint military exercises with U.S.

A top official in Moscow said the country would take "retaliatory measures" if the MSDF and U.S. Navy expanded drills near Russian territory.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[beijingwalker]

Japan to again designate Russian-held isles of Hokkaido as 'illegal occupation'​

Russian-held disputed islands off Hokkaido | KYODO
Mar 31, 2022


Japan will once again describe Russia’s decadeslong hold over a string of disputed islands off Hokkaido as an “illegal occupation” in an annual foreign policy report as bilateral ties sour following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The classification will appear for the first time since 2003, reflecting Tokyo’s shift away from a conciliatory policy stance toward Moscow, taken in the hope that progress in negotiations over the islands off Hokkaido could lead to their return in the future, to a more hostile position. A draft of the Diplomatic Bluebook for 2022 was obtained by Kyodo News.

The ownership dispute over the islands — known as Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group in Japan — stems from their seizure by the Soviet Union in the weeks following Japan’s World War II surrender on Aug. 15, 1945. It has prevented the two nations from signing a peace treaty.

The draft paper also said the islands, called the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan, are an “inherent” part of the territory of Japan, words that had been absent since the 2011 edition.

“We are not under circumstances in which we can talk” about the issue with Russia, the draft says, while demanding strongly that Moscow heed criticism from the international community, withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and comply with international law.

Compiled by the Foreign Ministry, the bluebook will be released in late April after gaining approval from the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Japan has condemned Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, as “a serious violation of international law,” and has joined other nations in imposing economic sanctions such as freezing assets belonging to its leaders and central bank, and excluding several Russian banks from a major international payment system.

In response, Russia’s Foreign Ministry released a list of “unfriendly” countries that includes Japan and unilaterally announced last week it has suspended peace treaty negotiations with Japan, citing Tokyo’s anti-Russian position.

During the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan had hoped negotiations over the territorial dispute would progress and lead to the return of some of the islands based on a 1956 bilateral treaty in which the Soviets agreed to their partial return upon the conclusion of a peace treaty.

Abe, who made much of the relationship he built with Russia, met with President Vladimir Putin over 20 times during his tenure from December 2012 through September 2020. But no breakthrough came from his trust-building efforts.

Neither Abe’s successor, Yoshihide Suga, nor Kishida were able to make progress.

The 2019 bluebook dropped the sentence “the four northern islands belong to Japan” in an apparent effort to appease the Kremlin. Starting in 2020, the report has said Japan has “sovereignty” over the islands.

In 1956, Japan and the Soviet Union signed a joint declaration that ended the state of war between the two countries and restored diplomatic ties.

The Soviet Union agreed then to return Shikotan and Habomai after a peace treaty is concluded. Japan has maintained its position that it aims to sign a peace treaty after the territorial issue is resolved.

Japan to again designate Russian-held isles of Hokkaido as 'illegal occupation'

A draft paper also said the islands are an "inherent" part of the territory of Japan, words that had been absent since the 2011 edition.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[Mav3rick]

I think Russia should focus on trying to win their war against a much smaller country which it has been fighting for months, and losing so far, instead of issuing ever new threats, hollow threats I must add, to EU, Japan etc.

So far, Russian military has been found wanting and is being blunted by a much smaller country; very sad state of affairs for the morale of Russian people and Russian military. They are unable to achieve their objectives against such a smaller country, how can they even consider threatening EU or Japan which are all under the protection of the US!!! The only real threat that Russia poses is Nuclear as they have nothing else that can intimidate their foes.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I think Russia should focus on trying to win their war against a much smaller country which it has been fighting for months, and losing so far, instead of issuing ever new threats, hollow threats I must add, to EU, Japan etc.

Plus nobody thinks Japan is going invade Russia.
They are being silly about things now.

 

[beijingwalker]

Plus nobody thinks Japan is going invade Russia.
They are being silly about things now.

It's Japan claiming Russian islands.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

It's Japan claiming Russian islands.

They have been claiming those island since 1945 when Russia snatched them a few weeks before the surrender.

Maybe Russia thinks now that they are showing weakness Japan will snatch them back.

 

[beijingwalker]

Maybe Russia thinks now that they are showing weakness Japan will snatch them back.

LoL, Japanese can try and good luck.

 

[Mista]

Russia is already struggling against a smaller neighboring country connected by land despite preparing and amassing troops for months, and now they are threatening a conflict in the Far East lmao.

 

[beijingwalker]

Russia is already struggling against a smaller neighboring country connected by land despite preparing and amassing troops for months, and now they are threatening a conflict in the Far East lmao.

Showing solidarity with China and Korea.