MOSCOW. June 28 (Interfax) - Strong protest has been declared to the Japanese embassy in Russia over the Japanese authorities' plans to hold a series of military exercises jointly with Germany and Spain on Hokkaido Island, in direct vicinity of the Russian border, on July-19-25, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
"The Japanese side was told that provocative military activity near the Far Eastern borders of our country, including that involving NATO member states from outside the region, is unacceptable. We regard such activity as a potential threat to the security of the Russian Federation," according to a report published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"The irresponsible policies of the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida put Tokyo on the path of dangerous escalation of tension in Northeast Asia and in Asia-Pacific region in general," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"We have warned about appropriate countermeasures to strengthen defense capability and protect the sovereignty of the Russian Federation," the ministry said.
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