Russia to conduct missile drills in Japan’s EEZ

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:22 JST, July 6, 2021

The Russian government has notified Japan that it will conduct missile launch drills from Wednesday through Friday in the Sea of Japan, including the abundant Yamatotai fishing grounds off the Noto Peninsula in Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea does not explicitly prohibit military drills in the EEZs of other countries, but requires other countries to give “due regard” to the coastal nation’s rights and duties, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

In response to the notification, the Japan Coast Guard issued a navigation warning to ships in the surrounding waters.

Russia has been intensifying its military activities in the northern territories, including a series of large-scale military drills on the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu. The Japanese government is heightening its vigilance.