Russia will take adequate measures if Japan moves away from being a non-nuclear weapons state, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said on Wednesday.
Rudenko told local media that Russia is concerned about possible moves by Japan regarding its nuclear status, whether through joining U.S. nuclear missions, conducting multilateral exercises that involve allied strategic aircraft certified to carry out nuclear missions, or discussing the potential placement of American intermediate-range missiles on Japanese territory.
He noted that Tokyo should understand that any threats to Russia’s Far Eastern borders will be met with a response from Moscow aimed at strengthening security.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said earlier that Japan’s remilitarization efforts could destabilize the security of the Asia-Pacific region.