Japan tracks four Russian missile boats passing close to its coast off Hokkaido
The country's navy shadowed the warships with a patrol plane as they sailed back west through a strait between two of its northern islands.
Japan's Self-Defense Forces monitored four Russian missile boats as they neared the nation's northern coastline, according to the Japanese Joint Staff. The warships did not enter Japanese waters, yet their visit heightened a diplomatic conflict over islands Russia annexed in 1945. Tokyo lodged a formal complaint and summoned Russia's ambassador.
Russia continues testing neighboring countries far from the Ukrainian front, utilizing warships and leader visits to reinforce its claims to territories forcefully seized decades ago. Kyiv, which is currently at war with Russian occupation, has formally acknowledged the northern islands as occupied land and supported Tokyo's position.
On August 14, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force detected the four vessels near Cape Soya on Hokkaido, as they were heading west. A P-3C patrol aircraft from the 2nd Air Wing observed them and collected data. The boats maintained a 40-kilometer distance from the coast and did not cross into Japanese waters. The vessels were identified by hull numbers 916, 946, 971, and 978.
Japan had previously observed the same four ships on August 9, 70 kilometers northwest of Rebun Island. After passing east through the Soya Strait, they turned back.
The transit occurred shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup, one of the Kuril Islands, on August 13. The Soviet Union acquired the island in 1945, breaching a neutrality agreement it had signed with Japan. Russia views the Kuril archipelago as strategically important and has been bolstering its forces there.
Iturup is home to the Burevestnik military airfield. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi labeled Putin's trip as entirely unacceptable, stating that it defies Tokyo's stance on the Northern Territories, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories. Japan's Foreign Ministry summoned Russia's ambassador, Nikolai Nozdrev, and lodged a strong protest, requesting him to convey Tokyo's position to Moscow immediately.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
