Russia exercises on disputed islands off Japan

In addition to 3,000 troops, hundreds of military vehicles were mobilized by Russia to participate in this exercise. The exercise took place with the scenario that Moscow would launch a counterattack against the enemy’s landing force.

Russia is widely seen as building up its forces on the disputed islands – known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as the Southern Kurils.

The drills are the first on the disputed islands off the main island of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost tip, since the Russian Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of territorial negotiations with Japan.

Russia will no longer negotiate a peace treaty with Japan in response to Tokyo’s sanctions against Russia over the situation in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on March 21. Moscow will also cancel visa waivers for Japanese nationals visiting four disputed islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The disagreement between Russia and Japan has lasted for decades over the four islands of the Southern Kuril Islands/Northern Territories. Territorial disputes here have prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty after World War II.

Earlier, Japan imposed sanctions on Russia related to the situation in Ukraine. HOn March 16, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would abolish most favored nation status with Russia in order to strengthen sanctions on this country related to the military operation in Ukraine.

Japan also increased the size of the asset freeze of Russian oligarchs and banned the import of some items, although it did not say which items will be subject to higher taxes when Japan abolishes most-favoured-nation status for Russia.