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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Japan "strongly protests" against Russian exercises on disputed isles |
| 2014-08-16 |
| [AAWSAT.NET] Japan "strongly protested" on Wednesday against Russian military exercises on Pacific islands that it also claims and which have been at the root of strained relations between the two countries since the end of the Second World War. The exercises on the disputed islands are a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to court resource-rich Russia and keep the door open to dialogue, despite the Ukraine crisis. Russia seized the islands from Japan in the waning days of the Second World War and the dispute over them has prevented the neighbors from signing a formal peace treaty. The islands are known as the Southern Kuriles in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan. "Carrying out this sort of exercises in the Northern Territories is totally unacceptable," Abe told news hounds. Japan lodged a "strong protest" at the Russian Embassy in Tokyo, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement, calling the exercises "extremely regrettable." Japan had already protested at the beginning of the military exercises but reiterated its objections on Wednesday. Colonel Alexander Gordeyev, a front man for Russia's Eastern Military District, told the Russian news agency Interfax on Tuesday that the exercises had begun, involving military units in the region deployed to the islands. Gordeyev said more than 1,000 troops, five Mi-8AMTSh attack helicopters and 100 other pieces of military hardware would be involved in the maneuvers. The exercises included Etorofu and Kunashiri islands, which Japan claims. It also claims Shikotan island and the Habomai islet group. Russia is at odds with Western powers over what NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... says is its massing of military forces along the border with Ukraine for a possible invasion to boost pro-Russian separatists in the country's east. Russia denies any such intent. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 Not so much Tokyo as Beijing. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-08-16 11:37 |
| #2 Imperialist power right? The US gave back Okinawa, well, everything but the base. Wonder if Tokyo is in a hurry for that to close now? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-08-16 09:11 |
| #1 Ironically, JAPAN = GUAM = Russian flybys may help deter China + PLA. FYI there are renewed fears of un-intended or accidental China-Japan mil clash or major war breaking out after 3 China CG ships allegedly once again violated Japan's territorial waters in and around the China-claimed Senkakus/Diaoyu Islands + Okinawa. * TOPIX > [SCMP] BEIJING WARNS ALL OUTSIDE ASEAN AGZ INVOLVEMENT IN SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTES. * SAME > [USNI] PANEL: TAIWAN FACING INCREASING CHINESE PRESSURE. * CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > [The Diplomat] NAVAL FORTRESSES. AN OLD CONCEPT FOR A NEW ERA? AS US NAVAL DOMINANCE WANES, FORTRESSES MAY ONCE AGAIN BECOME A VIABLE STRATEGIC DEFENSE. * SAME > [Business Spectator] CHINA'S MILITARY PROVOCATIONS IN THE PACIFIC IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. * SAME > [Defence One] APPRECIATING CHINA'S BIG NEW SEAPLANE. Don't dismiss the poten decisive value or utility of Old MilTech in Modern or Advanced Warfare just because its "old". Lest we fergit, CHINA IS PLANNING TO EMABRK ON A BUILDING SPREE OF MASSIVE NEW FLEET OF LR AIR TRANSPORT/CARGO PLANES. ALL THOSE WHOM BELIEVE THAT CHINA + PLA DON'T POSSESS ENOUGH STRATEGIC AIRLIFT FOR ITS AIRBORNE FORCES + SPECOPS TO ATTACK GUAM-WESTPAC ARE ABOUT TO BE PROVEN WRONG. * REUTERS > MULTINATIONAL "GUAMEX" FOCUSES ON ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE [ASW]. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2014-08-16 00:24 |