Japan protests Russian missile tests off disputed islands

Bilateral relations have long been strained over the Kurils, known in Japan as the Northern Territories. After Russia's President Vladimir Putin visited the islands on August 13, Japan summoned the Russian ambassador in protest, and Russia followed suit. | Photo Credit: AFP Japan said Friday (August 21, 2026) it had protested against Russia's notification that Moscow would conduct missile tests off disputed islands visited by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.Bilateral relations have long been dogged by the Kuril islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and seized in 1945 by the Soviet Union which then expelled the Japanese population."We lodged a protest in response to the notification about the plan to conduct a missile test" off the islands, a Japanese government spokesman told AFP.Russia's Pacific Fleet said Thursday (August 20, 2026) it had already conducted the missile test, although it was unclear when it took place."During planned exercises, Pacific Fleet forces carried out a missile strike against targets off the coast of the Southern Kuril Islands. The targets simulated enemy ships and were located at a distance of more than 300 kilometres," the naval fleet said in a statement.Ties between Japan and Russia have worsened since the full-scale conflict in Ukraine began in 2022.Japan has joined other G7 countries in sanctioning Moscow and aiding Kyiv. Published - August 21, 2026 09:56 pm IST