(VOVworld) - Russia's ongoing military exercise in the Far East is not posing a threat to any country, including Japan, according to Maria Zakharova, Deputy Director of Russia’s Information and Press Department. She said on Wednesday that a drill is underway in South Kuril archipelago, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, which has belonged to Russia since World War II. Nothing unusual has been reported in the current drill in the South Kuril archipelago, where similar exercises are held regularly.
![Russia reassures Japan over drills in Far East - ảnh 1](https://image.vovworld.vn/w500/uploaded/vovworld/wpxlqdhnw/2014_08_14/exercise.jpg) |
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan will lodge a "strong protest" with Russia over military exercises reportedly being held on the disputed Kuril islands.
(Photo: Reuters) |
On Wednesday Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Russia’s exercise unacceptable and ordered the Japanese Foreign Ministry to send a diplomatic note to Moscow protesting it. A territorial dispute over the South Kuril archipelago has troubled Russia-Japan relations for years.