Russia has issued a formal protest against Japan’s decision to deploy U.S.-made Typhon medium-range missile systems on the southern island of Kyushu. Moscow contends that the deployment poses a significant threat to regional security and stability.
The protest note, delivered earlier this month by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, urges Tokyo to reconsider and remove the missile systems. The ministry emphasized that the presence of these systems could undermine peace in the region. This issue was also brought up by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko during discussions with Japanese Ambassador Akira Muto in Moscow.
This diplomatic friction occurs against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the two nations, notably surrounding the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands. These islands, which lie to the north of Japan, are administered by Russia but claimed by Japan. The disagreement has been a longstanding point of contention, preventing the formal conclusion of a World War II peace treaty between the two countries.
Russia has consistently maintained that its sovereignty over the southern Kuril Islands is non-negotiable. This sovereignty claim remains a critical barrier to improving bilateral relations and reaching a comprehensive peace agreement with Japan.