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Japan
AsiaEast Asia

Japan protests Russia-China military drills, Moscow scraps Kuril Islands visa deal

  • Parts of the multinational ‘Vostok 2022’ drills took place on two disputed islands that Russia controls but Japan claims, a Tokyo official said
  • On Tuesday, Moscow said it had scrapped a reciprocal agreement that allowed visa-free visits to the islands for former Japanese residents

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A Russian anti-submarine ship takes part in the Vostok 2022 drills on Monday. Japan’s Defence Ministry said it had spotted six Russian and Chinese warships firing machine guns into the Sea of Japan off Hokkaido over the weekend. Photo: EPA-EFE
Associated Pressin Tokyo
Tokyo has protested to Moscow over multinational military exercises being conducted on Russian-held islands claimed by Japan, and is seriously concerned about shooting drills by Russian and Chinese warships off Japan’s northern coast, an official said.
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The news came as Russia said on Tuesday it had scrapped an agreement with Japan to allow former Japanese residents visa-free visits to the Russian-held Kuril Islands, which Japan claims as its Northern Territories.

Russia has been hosting the multinational “Vostok 2022” drills at a number of locations in the country’s far east since late August. China is one of the countries taking part, as Beijing increases its military cooperation with Moscow.

Chinese troops march during the Vostok 2022 military exercises at a firing range in Russia’s far east on August 31. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP
Chinese troops march during the Vostok 2022 military exercises at a firing range in Russia’s far east on August 31. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno criticised Russia for holding exercises on two of the four disputed islands in the Kuril chain off Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. It was not clear whether China was part of the exercises on the disputed islands.

Matsuno said Japan’s Defence Ministry spotted six Russian and Chinese warships firing machine guns into the Sea of Japan about 190 kilometres (118 miles) west of Cape Kamui on Hokkaido on Saturday.

“Japan will continue to monitor the movements of these ships with serious concern, and will take all possible measures to conduct warning and surveillance activities in the waters surrounding Japan,” Matsuno said at a news conference on Monday.

China’s Ministry of National Defence said in a statement on Sunday that China took part in air, ground and naval exercises as part of the drills. It said a Chinese naval tactical team conducted joint exercises with Russia in the Sea of Japan, including one designed to destroy drifting mines.

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