Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zarakhova stated at a press conference on March 18 that if Japan purchases the U.S. "Tomahawk" cruise missiles, Russia would take retaliatory measures to ensure national defense capabilities.

Zarakhova said that Japan is continuing its process of "militarization," including the procurement of offensive weapons such as cruise missiles, which are clearly not defensive weapons. She also emphasized that if Japan does not want to repeat history, it should learn from historical lessons and abide by the pacifist provisions of the Japanese Constitution.

The Japanese Defense Ministry officially received the U.S.-made "Tomahawk" cruise missiles on March 13, with a range of about 1,600 kilometers. This move has been criticized by media in countries such as China as "racing down the path of militarization," completely discarding the guise of "exclusive defense."

Zarakhova's remarks on March 18 were actually a multi-dimensional warning involving history, law, and geopolitics.

For Russia's warning, we can interpret it from several levels —

Russia explicitly pointed out that the "Tomahawk" is an offensive weapon, which fundamentally negates the legal basis for Japan's "exclusive defense." Raising the issue to the level of "unconstitutional" aims to tell the international community: Japan's military expansion has exceeded the limits of the peace constitution.

Historical warning: The wording of "learning from historical lessons" and "repeating past mistakes" is extremely severe. This is not only a reminder to Japan itself but also, against the background of the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II (2025), emphasizes that the achievements of the anti-fascist war are not to be undermined. Its implication is: If Japan once again takes the path of military expansion, Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has the right to take action according to history and international law.

The "retaliatory measures" and "compensatory measures" in Russia's statement mean that Russia has directly linked Japan's military actions to its own military deployment in the Far East. This is both a response to the U.S.-Japan military alliance and a tactical warning to Japan: If the deployment of "Tomahawks" threatens Russia's strategic locations in the Far East, the Russian military may likely strengthen its forces in the disputed Southern Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories in Japan).

In the international public opinion arena, Russia portrays itself as a party upholding the post-World War II international order, while placing Japan in a passive position of "breaking regional stability."

In short, Russia's core logic is: Japan purchasing offensive weapons disrupts political and geopolitical balance, forcing Russia to take military countermeasures. This indicates that future competition between Russia and Japan over territorial issues and in the Asia-Pacific region will become more intense.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860052520887308/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.