Moscow's military drills in far east anger Tokyo

Japan has lodged a protest against a Russian military drill on a group of islands disputed by the two countries and controlled by Moscow, a government official said Wednesday.

"The Japanese government confirmed Monday that Russia conducted a drill on Etorofu island (known as Iturup in Russian)," a foreign ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The Japanese embassy in Moscow immediately delivered a protest within the day, saying it was extremely regrettable and unacceptable for Japan's position toward the Northern Territories."

Iturup is one of four disputed islands off Japan's northern coast, collectively referred to by Tokyo as the Northern Territories, which Russia calls the South Kurils.

The two nations have never signed a treaty to formally end World War II because of Japan's claims to the four islands.

They were seized by Soviet troops, who expelled Japanese residents, in the last days of the war.

Japan has balked at past suggestions that Russia hand over two of the four islands or that the nations jointly develop them, insisting on the return of all four islands.

The drill on Iturup was part of the Vostok 2010 strategic exercises in far east Russia and in Siberia that lasted several days starting June 29.

About 10,000 servicemen were taking part in the drill, which involved all the fleets of Russia's navy - the Pacific, North, Black Sea and Baltic fleets - as well as Air Force units, according to Russia's Itar-Tass News Agency.

Recently, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev watched the exercises from aboard the nuclear-powered battle cruiser Peter the Great and held a meeting with the heads of the defense ministry, general staff, and the navy, Itar-Tass reported, citing the Kremlin's website.

The president rated the servicemen's professionalism highly and said the exercises were a demonstration of the armed forces' ability to carry out missions in the Pacific Ocean region, it added.

Agencies