Russia protests Japan-U.S. military drills near Hokkaido, citing concerns over border proximity
Russia's Foreign Ministry expressed a "strong protest" to Japan on Friday, October 11, over Tokyo's plans to conduct large-scale military exercises with the United States later this month. The drills, specifically in regions near the island of Hokkaido, are described as being "in close proximity to Russian borders," according to the ministry.
The Russian ministry deemed these joint exercises "categorically unacceptable" and warned the Japanese embassy in Moscow about "inevitable adequate countermeasures to strengthen defense capabilities and protect" Russian sovereignty. The Japan-U.S. military operation is set to begin on October 23 and last for 10 days, involving around 45,000 participants from both nations.
In recent years, Russian military forces have operated increasingly close to Japanese territory, engaging in joint exercises with China. A recent stage of the Russo-Chinese "Northern Interaction 2024" exercise featured warships in the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan.
Japan's government reports that since the Soviet era, Russian military aircraft have most frequently violated Japan's airspace, accounting for 44 out of 48 such incursions.
Specifically, on September 23, a Russian Il-38 patrol aircraft violated Japanese airspace three times in one day, prompting Japanese F-15 and F-35 fighters to fire warning missiles.