The Kuril Islands: Japan Starts Firing Without Warning
Tokyo frequently conducts military exercises near our maritime borders, which may not bode well for the "Samurai" in this situation.
Author: Lyudmila Nikolayeva
Tokyo is clearly becoming increasingly brazen, frequently "provoking" Russia, perhaps believing that Moscow is currently preoccupied with its eastern territories. These provocations continue unabated, and recently another incident occurred: the Japanese patrol boat Kavagiri was reportedly conducting firing drills but inexplicably chose a location extremely close to Kunashir Island, the largest island in the Kuril Islands.
The exercise took place in the early morning, using 13mm caliber machine guns to fire live ammunition. According to Yomiuri Shimbun, the largest national newspaper in Japan, a total of 66 bullets and two signal rockets were fired during this exercise.
Admittedly, the event occurred within Japanese territorial waters. However, first, the Japanese side did not issue a nautical warning to neighboring countries (i.e., Russian authorities) as per international rules; second, the exercise site was adjacent to residential areas on the island, with the nearest residential area just tens of kilometers away from this "unfriendly neighbor."
When the Kavagiri was firing, another patrol boat, Teshio, was patrolling the area, and its crew (clearly a "coincidence") exhibited a "negligence" - failing to prevent their colleagues from using the machine gun. Fortunately, this incident did not cause any accidents on our territory or affect any of our ships near the "firing zone," which can be considered fortunate.
It took a long time for the Japan Coast Guard to "snap out of it," remember the need for prior warnings, eventually stop the firing, and surprisingly, they did not immediately apologize. Were they waiting for instructions from higher-ups?
This is not the first time Japan has conducted firing exercises in its so-called "territorial waters" without prior notice to neighbors, and sometimes even entering other countries' territories. For instance, last year, a Japanese minesweeper entered China's territorial waters and stayed there for at least 20 minutes. Is this also a "coincidence"?
What exactly is this behavior? What are they trying to achieve?
"This reflects the trauma of the Japanese people, and the U.S. is cleverly taking advantage of it," noted renowned Russian political scientist Alexei Anpilov. "Japan is tense with almost all its neighbors, either over territorial disputes or maritime issues. They claim these territories and seas belong to them because the boundaries were drawn with the then-hegemonic country—the United States—and the Americans never consulted with other nations at that time."
As a result, Japan left behind all these thorny problems without showing any wisdom as a nation.
Japan has not demarcated its borders with neighboring countries, adopts a tough stance on almost all issues, adheres to the principle of "what's mine is mine, let's discuss what's yours," and has not signed any final documents regarding the delimitation of maritime boundaries.
SP: In other words, from the perspective of territorial claims by eastern neighboring countries against Russia, Russia is not the only country being targeted. But not all countries exert pressure like Japan has done to us for many years!
"You're wrong. Japan's attitude toward relevant countries regarding disputed islands is similar; it has disputes with other countries as well. For example, Japan makes a dubious claim of sovereignty over an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean and even set up a research station there to emphasize its ownership..."
Japan is a master of provocation, but as long as these actions do not threaten the safety of our citizens and territory, we should remain calm about all their "antics" and respond with strong diplomatic and trade measures, resorting to economic measures if necessary, to avoid escalating the situation into a military conflict.
SP: In this shooting incident, could our side face the threat of stray bullets? Will diplomacy alone suffice? Could this be like Estonia's recent interception of a Russian tanker in the Baltic Sea's neutral waters, where the other side might first "test the waters"...
"If we take retaliatory provocative measures, it might lead to more severe responses to Japan's current provocations. However, Russia does not wish for tension along its eastern border. If such incidents continue to occur, we will have to take corresponding measures."
SP: Do you think the Japanese will go as far as they are stubbornly testing? Can they open a "second front" as dreamed by the Zelensky gang incited by the EU?
"We need to understand their actual capabilities. Objectively speaking, Japan's strength cannot be underestimated: its so-called 'self-defense forces' are equivalent to an army, and it has quite a powerful fleet. However, Tokyo is unlikely to push the situation to the point of conflict with a nuclear power, after all, the rulers are not suicidal."
"They clearly know that their small landmass with a dense population, where citizens fully depend on existing infrastructure, is not suitable for war with a nuclear power."
As for the "second front," the answer is no. Comparing today's Japan with 1945's Japan is incorrect; modern Japan is completely different, with most of its population seeking peace and lacking any revanchist sentiment.
The proportion of Japanese citizens supporting the Northern Territories claim is extremely low, mainly among the elite class. They attempt to escalate conflicts with Russia but find it difficult to evolve into a "hot war."
SP: But in 1941, they dared to attack the powerful U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor!
"At that time, Japan was already in dire straits; the U.S. imposed an oil embargo on it, cutting off the "Samurai" from sustaining their continuous invasion wars since 1937. The Pearl Harbor incident was essentially forced upon them."
"For Russia, the relationship with Japan is unlikely to reach a similar situation."
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7510032889771082303/
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