Japan protests Russian missile tests near disputed islands
What Happened
Japan said on Friday that it had lodged a protest after Russia notified it of plans to carry out missile tests off the disputed islands known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as the Southern Kurils. Russia’s Pacific Fleet later said it had already carried out a missile strike during exercises in the area, though it was not clear when the test took place.
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Strategic Impact
The exchange adds to already strained ties between Tokyo and Moscow, which have worsened since Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine began in 2022. The islands dispute has long blocked any normalisation of relations, and military activity around them is especially sensitive because both sides treat the area as a sovereignty issue.