Japanese Foreign Minister: Japan will take measures if Russia deploys missile systems to Kuril Islands
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida stated that Tokyo will take measures if Russia deploys Bal and Bastion missile systems to the Kuril Islands, TV Dozhd reported, referencing the Japanese NHK public broadcasting company.
On Tuesday, Russia announced that the coastal missile systems will be deployed to the Iturup and Kunashir Islands, part of the contested Kuril Islands north of Japan and south of Russia’s Sakhalin Island.
Bastion coastal missile systems are equipped with the Oniks supersonic self-guided anti-ship missile and have a range of 600 km.
Bal missile systems are also intended for coastal defense, and are equipped with X-35 missiles and have a range of 120-260 kilometers.