Japan says the Kuril Islands, which are controlled by Russia, belong to it and calls them the Northern Territories.
The conflict dates back to the end of World War II, when Soviet forces took control of it from Japan.
On Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the Russian “Bastion” missile systems, which include missiles with a range of up to 500 km, were deployed on Paramushir Island in the northern part of the Kuril Islands.
Reuters quoted the source as saying, “The coastal forces of the Pacific Fleet will monitor the situation around the clock to control the neighboring waters and the areas of the strait.”
For his part, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in a press conference on Tuesday that the government will closely monitor Russian military activity, adding that it is intensifying in the Far East regions in conjunction with the Russian operation in Ukraine.
And Japan joined its Western allies in imposing economic sanctions on Russia against the background of the Russian military attack, which Moscow calls a “special military operation.” Ukraine and its allies say Russia launched an unprovoked war.
Russia withdrew from talks to conclude a peace treaty with Japan and froze joint economic projects related to the disputed Kuril Islands due to the sanctions imposed by Japan after the start of the military operation.
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