The Russian regime came to the defense of China’s communist dictatorship this Thursday (27) by criticizing Japan’s plans to install a missile system on the island of Yonaguni, close to Taiwan. In a statement cited by the agency Reutersthe Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Moscow “reserves the right” to adopt a “tough response” if the Japanese government moves forward with the installation of weapons.
According to the agency, Russian authorities accused Tokyo of following US guidance by strengthening its military presence in the southern tip of the Japanese archipelago. According to Moscow, Japan would be “militarizing the islands” and contributing to increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
The Russian reaction comes shortly after China issued its own warning. The agency Anadoluciting the Chinese state newspaper Global Timesreported that the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council in Beijing classified the Japanese plan as “an extremely dangerous maneuver.” Spokesman Peng Qing’en said deploying missiles in an area so close to Taiwan means “deliberately creating a confrontational environment.”
Beijing also stated that Japan violates the spirit of the pacifist Constitution adopted after World War II and mentioned the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation when arguing that the country should not expand its offensive military capabilities. For China, Taiwan is an integral part of its territory, and any foreign movement in the region “will be seen as interference”.
The increase in tension between China and Japan comes after statements by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who stated that preparations to install the missile unit in Yonaguni were “advancing steadily”, as reported by Bloomberg and reproduced by Anadolu. The island is just over 100 kilometers off the east coast of Taiwan.
The announcement comes amid a growing diplomatic crisis between Tokyo and Beijing. Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be interpreted as a threat to Japan’s survival – which, under Japanese law, would trigger the right to collective self-defense. The speech generated a strong reaction from China, which led to the cancellation of trips by Chinese tourists to Japan and the tightening of trade measures.