The Japanese authorities are discussing with the United States the possibility of deploying medium-and shorter-range missiles in the country, not land-based, but sea-based, but this does not change the essence of the problem, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
"We have conveyed a list of our specific security concerns, which directly relate to the possibility of continuing negotiations around the peace treaty. We have not yet received answers, but the creation of an American missile defense system on Japanese territory, and the possibility of deploying American medium - and shorter-range ground-based missiles, are among these concerns," Lavrov said at a press conference on Monday.
He noted that in matters of missile defense, Tokyo assures Moscow that "they will simply buy Aegis Ashore systems, but they will control them themselves, the Americans will not have anything to do with the management of these systems." "With all due respect to our Japanese friends, it is impossible to do this, it will not be possible to escape from American control over these systems," the minister said.
"As for intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles, I have heard that the Japanese government is not happy with this idea of the United States, but now it is trying to transfer negotiations from the deployment of ground-based INF to the possibility of their sea-based deployment. But this matter is unlikely to change, because basing medium - and shorter-range missiles in the Sea of Japan, even on ships, will mean that these missiles will be able to reach a significant part of the territory of the Russian Federation," Lavrov stressed.
