Russia condemns Japan, the United States, and Australia for conducting military exercises in the Far East

Reference News Network reported on September 4 According to a report by Reuters on September 1, Russia condemned the upcoming joint military exercises to be held by Japan, the United States, and Australia, and stated that it has formally protested to Tokyo regarding the deployment of the U.S. "Typhoon" missile launch system during these exercises, claiming that this move poses a threat to Russia's national security.

It is reported that the joint exercise, codenamed "Shield of the East," will take place in Japan from September 8 to 24. According to Japan's Kyodo News, the exercise will involve 3,700 personnel from Japan, the U.S., and Australia, making it the largest of its kind to date. The exercise will utilize the U.S. "Typhoon" medium-range missile system for the first time, which can launch "Standard-6" multi-role missiles and "Tomahawk" cruise missiles.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, expressed at a press conference in Vladivostok that Russia hopes Japan will return to a pacifist policy and expressed concern that the exercises will be held near Russia's Far Eastern border.

She stated that Russia had lodged a protest with the Japanese embassy in Moscow on August 31.

Zakharova said, "We have made it clear to the Japanese side that provocative military activities near our Far Eastern border are absolutely unacceptable."

She also stated, "We have noted reports that as part of these exercises, Japan plans to deploy the U.S. 'Typhoon' ground-based missile system. We have clearly communicated to the Japanese embassy that the deployment of such weapons on Japanese territory, including under the pretext of military exercises, is absolutely unacceptable, as it poses a threat to Russia's security. Moscow has issued a warning that compensatory countermeasures will be taken to ensure national security is maintained at an appropriate level."

According to a previous report by the Japan Times, the U.S. military deployed the powerful "Typhoon" medium-range missile system to Kagoshima Prefecture in June for joint exercises with the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The system is scheduled to participate in the joint military exercises this month and will be transferred to U.S. military bases in Japan around mid-October.

It is reported that Russian President Putin made a rare visit to a disputed island in northern Japan controlled by Russia in August. Since then, there have been multiple rounds of mutual protests between Russia and Japan in recent weeks.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi strongly protested Putin's visit, while Moscow subsequently summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest against the so-called "anti-Russian remarks" made by Takaichi and her foreign minister.

According to Kyodo News on September 1, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova stated at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok that regarding the "Shield of the East" joint exercise to be conducted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force with the U.S. and Australian armies, Russia has issued a warning to the Japanese embassy, stating that "countermeasures will be taken."

It is reported that the exercise will utilize the U.S. "Typhoon" medium-range missile launch system, which has been temporarily deployed at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture since June.

Zakharova pointed out that the training will take place in areas close to Russia, such as Hokkaido, stating, "The deployment of such weapons on Japanese territory will pose a threat to Russia's security and cannot be tolerated."

According to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the exercise will center around training grounds in Hokkaido, conducting joint live-fire exercises and parachute training. The "Typhoon" system will coordinate remotely from the Kanoya base with combat training in Hokkaido to respond to enemy vessels.

According to Japan's Ministry of Defense, the "Typhoon" system was deployed to the Kanoya base to participate in the multinational joint exercise "Brave Shield" held from June to July. The Ministry of Defense stated that the system will be withdrawn from Kanoya around mid-October after the "Shield of the East" exercise and will be "stored" at U.S. military bases in Japan.

In September last year, the U.S. military temporarily deployed the "Typhoon" system to the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Base in Yamaguchi Prefecture, marking the first deployment of the system on Japanese soil. (Translated by Yang Xinpeng)