Russia is concerned about the intensification of Japan's military activities near Russian borders, Russia's new Ambassador to Japan Nikolay Nozdrev told Sputnik in his first interview after arriving in Tokyo.
“There is an important point of serious concern that we are closely monitoring - the intensification of military activity near our borders. This is happening, including in bilateral, multilateral formats with the participation, first of all, of the armed forces of the United States of America, as well as some NATO countries and other American allies in the Asia-Pacific region," the ambassador said.
Last fall, a strong protest was expressed to the Japanese Embassy in Russia in connection with the holding of large-scale Japanese-US military exercises on the island of Hokkaido, in close proximity to the Russian borders, on September 14-23, as well as plans to hold similar maneuvers in late October-December of the current year. Japan was told that ostentatious military activity near Russia's Far Eastern borders was inadmissible.
The ambassador added that Russia-Japan relations are currently at the lowest level in the entire post-war period and have passed the point of no return.
“If we take an objective look at bilateral relations, we can... say that they are at the lowest level in the entire post-war period due to the consistent, deliberate and conscious steps that the current Japanese leadership is taking. In fact, work to dismantle relations is currently under way in several areas at once,” Nozdrev said.
He said that treaties reached over the past decades are being denounced. In addition, the diplomat said, over the past two years, Japan has adopted several sanctions packages, adding that there is also a deliberate escalation of anti-Russian hysteria in Japanese society.
“There are specific attempts to influence public opinion to form stable anti-Russian sentiments in it for the long term. Pressure continues... on businesses, various kinds of obstacles are created for the implementation of joint projects in a variety of areas, including those in which the the Japanese side is objectively interested itself,” Nozdrev said.
He said the very foundation of the bilateral ties had been destroyed.
"The relations have not only been thrown back several decades, but in fact their very foundation, which was very strong and was created over decades by the efforts of many influential politicians, including in Japan itself, has essentially been destroyed... This is the point of no return,” Nozdrev said.
The ambassador also spoke on NATO, noting that NATO member states are actively seeking to stay in the Asia-Pacific region, and Japan is facilitating this.
“NATO countries are demonstrating active involvement in the affairs of the Asia-Pacific region, are striving to establish a strong presence here, and there are countries that are actively contributing to this. And it is the Japanese who are the first ones to invite them. We clearly see this desire - the most favorable conditions are being created for all kinds of training and maneuvers, a long-term legal framework is being formed, namely, agreements are being concluded to ensure mutual access of armed forces to each other's territory," Nozdrev said.
He said this allows NATO countries to take part in various military-related activities carried out in Japan.
"The issue of establishing a NATO office, a representative office of the bloc in Japan, has not been completely taken off the agenda. Obviously, at some stage they will return to it again,” Nozdrev also said.