Published: 11:32, April 2, 2026 | Updated: 12:15, April 2, 2026
Russia says Japan's missile deployment could be 'more than tragic'
By Xinhua
Residents stage a protest against the Japanese government's deployment of long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities in Kumamoto Prefecture and Shizuoka prefecture, in Tokyo, Japan, on March 31, 2026. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

MOSCOW - The deployment of anti-ship hypersonic missiles at Japanese military garrisons in Kumamoto and Shizuoka represents yet another indication that Japan is moving away from the pacifist provisions enshrined in its Constitution, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Japan's deployment of missile systems on its territory and the buildup of its offensive weapons arsenals reflect the country's dangerous course toward remilitarization, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Add to this the rejection of preserving historical memory and the rewriting of history, and the result could be more than tragic."

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According to Zakharova, Russia has repeatedly raised with Japanese authorities through diplomatic channels the negative impact of their policies on security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

"We are carefully taking these circumstances into account, primarily in the context of developing the necessary countermeasures to ensure an adequate level of our country's defense capability," she said.