Japan Expresses 'Extreme Regret' over Vostok Exercises
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The exercises of the Russian army "Vostok-2022" in Kunashir and Iturup, which Japan considers its "northern territories", are extremely regrettable, Hirokazu Matsuno, Secretary General of the government of the country, said at a press conference in Tokyo.
"We are aware that on September 3 the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the holding of exercises, including Kunashir and Iturup . The holding of Russian military exercises in the northern territories, despite the protest of our country, is extremely regrettable. As for the future, we will closely monitor the course of the exercises "Vostok" as a whole and will act accordingly. As for other details, I would like to refrain from them at this stage," Matsuno said, RIA Novosti reported.
He also recalled that on July 27, Japan conveyed a protest to Russia through diplomatic channels due to the fact that "Russia's conduct of exercises in the northern territories (as Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan and Habomai are called in Japan) does not coincide with the position of Japan and is unacceptable."
A submission was also made demanding that the region of the four northern islands be excluded from the exercise area.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the strategic exercises "Vostok-2022" will be held from September 1 to 7 at seven training grounds of the Eastern Military District, more than 50 thousand people, more than 5 thousand pieces of weapons and military equipment, including 140 aircraft will take part in them. , 60 warships, boats and support vessels.
From the Russian Armed Forces, military command and control bodies and troops of the Air Defense Forces, part of the forces of the Airborne Forces, long-range and military transport aviation will take part in the exercises.
Joint actions will be worked out by operational control groups, military contingents and observers of the CSTO, SCO and other partner states, in particular, Azerbaijan , Algeria, Armenia , Belarus , India , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , China , Laos , Mongolia, Nicaragua, Syria and Tajikistan.
The actions of the troops involved will comply with the 1996 Confidence-Building Agreement in the military field in the border area between Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and China.
The drawing of the main tactical episodes will take place at the Sergeevsky training ground in Primorye. In the Sea of Japan, joint actions to defend sea lanes and areas of maritime economic activity, support ground forces in the coastal direction will be worked out by the forces of the Pacific Fleet and the Chinese Navy .
Also, the maneuvers will take place at the training grounds Burduny, Goryachiye Klyuchi, Knyaz-Volkonsky, Lagunnoye, Telemba, Uspenovsky and in the coastal areas of the Sea of Okhotsk .
During the exercises, commanders and staff will improve their skills in managing interspecific and coalition groups in repelling aggression in the Eastern direction and in the Far Eastern sea zone. It is also planned to increase the compatibility and level of interaction of coalition groups in the performance of joint tasks to preserve peace, protect interests and ensure military security.