TOKYO, April 4 -- Japan lodged a protest with Russia on Thursday over military drills scheduled to be held in waters near one of four islands off the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido that are controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press briefing on the matter that the drills are "unacceptable as it would lead to a stronger Russian military presence" on the disputed islands.
Suga, Japan's top government spokesperson, confirmed that Tokyo had lodged a protest with Moscow over the drills, but added that government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will "continue to strive to resolve the territorial issue and sign a peace treaty."
Japan was informed of the drills on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said, with notification given from Moscow that it would conduct military drills from Thursday to April 12 in waters east of southern Kunashiri Island.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has yet to confirm whether the drills, reportedly to involve live firing, have begun.
The island closest to where the drills are scheduled to take place is the southernmost of four islets central to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia.
The islands are known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia.
The decades-old territorial spat has prevented the two countries from signing a post-World War II peace treaty and hindered diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries.
Both parties have, however, provisionally agreed to discuss furthering joint economic activities on the islands.
Such activities span defense, search and rescue operations, medical areas, industry promotion and energy development, in line with a previously proposed plan, which also covers aquaculture and tourism.
The multi-faceted cooperation plan, based around five pillars proposed by Abe in 2016, was, purportedly, to become an important foundation for future ties.
Russia last held drills in March this year, however, on two of the disputed islands, involving tanks and around 500 military troops.
"We closely monitor the Russian military's movements in the Northern Territories on a regular basis," Suga also said Thursday.
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 2《Healthy eating》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 2《Parents and Children》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 3《Travel journal》(重大版必修1)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 3《A taste of English humour》(重大版必修4)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 1《Festivals around the world》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 4《Body language》(重大版必修4)
国际英语资讯:News Analysis: Italy still needs reforms despite EUs Junckers optimism: analysts
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 3 Challenging Yourself Ⅱ(重大版选修7)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 1《Favourite Teachers》(重大版必修1)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 1《Olympic History》(重大版必修5)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 4《Astronomy the science of the stars》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 1《Friends and Friendship》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 5《Magic Internet》(重大版必修5)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 6《Internet Shopping》(重大版必修5)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 5 Challenging Yourself Ⅲ(重大版选修7)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Challenging Yourself Ⅰ《Man and Pets》(重大版必修4)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 2《Animal Kingdom》(重大版必修4)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 2《English around the world》(重大版必修1)
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Tension seems slightly defused between Moscow, Washington following U.S. missile
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 5《Art and Culture》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 3《Project Hope》(重大版必修4)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 2《Helpful Schoolmates》(重大版必修1)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 5 Challenging Yourself Ⅲ(重大版选修8)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 3《The Million Pound Bank Note》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 2《Olympic Figures》(重大版必修5)
2017届四川省高考英语完形填空训练(4)
国内英语资讯:Xinhua Insight: Procedures unveiled for birth of Xiongan New Area
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 6《Poems and Poets》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Unit 3《Dreams and Dreamers》(重大版必修3)
2017届高考英语一轮复习基础巩固学案:Challenging Yourself Ⅲ《Knowing About Houses》(重大版必修1)