JiJi Press – Foreign and defense ministers from Japan and Russia Thursday discussed Tokyo’s plan to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system and Moscow’s military expansion on disputed islands.
The meeting in Tokyo was attended by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, as well as Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu.
In response to Russian concern over the Aegis Ashore system, Iwaya said it is purely defensive and will pose no threat to Russia.
