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The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a formal protest to Japan regarding upcoming joint military exercises planned with the United States. The diplomatic move signals growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region as Moscow closely monitors military cooperation between Tokyo and Washington near its eastern borders.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced during a briefing at the Eastern Economic Forum that Moscow considers Japan's actions unacceptable. Zakharova stated that the Japanese side has been formally notified that provocative military activities near Russia's eastern borders are impermissible, emphasizing that such maneuvers further exacerbate the military-political situation in the region.
The Russian side further warned that should the military exercises serve as a pretext for the deployment of US weaponry on Japanese territory, Moscow would be compelled to implement adequate and compensatory measures. Zakharova also noted that Russia intends to continue efforts to investigate and publicize historical crimes committed by militarist Japan, adding a layer of historical tension to the current diplomatic dispute.
The Eastern Economic Forum, where these remarks were made, is an international forum held annually in Vladivostok to encourage foreign investment in the Russian Far East and develop economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
