Russia is ramping up its military presence in the Far East, right near Japan, which is a crucial ally of the United States. They’ve been busy with missile drills and have assembled a naval task force that even features a submarine.
Japan’s Defense Ministry is actively keeping an eye on these developments, as Russia steps up its military operations in the Sea of Japan, also referred to as the East Sea in South Korea.
Why This Matters
Even in the midst of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Russian military has been active near Japan, deploying strategic bombers that can carry nuclear weapons and conducting joint naval missions with China.
Tokyo is on alert due to what they term Russia’s “intensive military activities” in the region, particularly since both countries are still locked in a dispute over the Southern Kuril Islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan.
Key Highlights
According to reports from the Russian Pacific Fleet shared by the Tass news agency, the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov recently launched “high-precision” Kalibr and Uran cruise missiles, successfully hitting a sea target in an unspecified location in the Sea of Japan.
The official video release provides some footage of the missile launching, but it only shows the moments right after takeoff and doesn’t depict the missiles striking the target. It’s still not clear just how far the missiles flew before making contact.
Originally launched as an anti-submarine vessel, the Marshal Shaposhnikov underwent modernization and trials between 2016 and 2021 to adapt it into a frigate, being equipped with Kalibr and Uran missiles in the process.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Defense Ministry has reported tracking Russian naval activities, including a naval group composed of a submarine, a frigate, and a rescue tug that was spotted moving through the Tsushima Strait recently.
This strait, which separates the Korean Peninsula from the Japanese archipelago, acts as a waterway connecting the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan.
A map from Japan’s Defense Ministry reveals that these Russian vessels stayed outside Japan’s territorial waters, maintaining a distance of 13.8 miles from the coastline, while being carefully monitored by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force during their travel northwest.
Last reported, this group of Russian vessels was seen moving from the Sea of Japan towards the East China Sea between August 14 and 15, but Japan has yet to detail their mission in the East China Sea over that week.
What Are Experts Saying?
According to Japan’s 2025 defense white paper: “The ongoing military activities of Russia in the vicinity of Japan are showing a troubling tendency to enhance its military capabilities in the Far East.” They express concern about Russia’s military engagement in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in collaboration with China.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya shared insights during a press briefing on August 8: “We’re committed to resolving the dispute over the four northern islands and will pursue a peace treaty. While relations between Japan and Russia are tough, we aim to continue necessary dialogue with Russia to address the situation.”
What’s Next?
It seems likely that Russia will carry on with its military operations in the Sea of Japan. How Japan will react and enhance its defensive measures in this context remains to be seen.
