Russia has announced it will hold live-fire military drills in waters off the Kunashiri and Etorofu islands.
The Sankei Shimbun reported that Russia notified Japanese officials of multi-day exercises around two of the four Kuril Islands, which Tokyo claims as its Northern Territories. The disputed islands are currently administered by Russia as part of its Far Eastern Sakhalin region.
Japan lodged a diplomatic protest over the exercises through diplomatic channels, stating it cannot accept Russia's actions to bolster its military presence around the disputed islands.
The Japanese military needs to be boosted with a 'sense of urgency and crisis.'
Scope of Russian military activities
Russia designated maritime exclusion zones around two of the Kuril Islands for drills running through August 29. Additionally, Russia issued missile test warnings through August 6.
Russia's Defense Ministry announced drills involving 60 warships, 30 aircraft, and over 13,000 servicemen in the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Regional security and historical context
A new Japanese government white paper assessment warned of growing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. The document changed its description of Russian-Chinese military cooperation from a 'serious' concern to a 'deepening strategic partnership.'
Japan maintains that the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, located north of the Hokkaido prefecture, were illegally seized by the Soviet Union after its surrender in World II. The disputed status of the Kuril Islands has prevented Russia and Japan from formally signing a World War II peace treaty.
Relations remain strained as Japan joined other Western countries in sanctioning Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Neither Russia's Embassy in Tokyo nor the Japanese foreign ministry has publicly commented on these reports. Separately, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an 'undesirable' organization.
