While the eyes of the whole world are on Ukraine, Russia is stepping up military intimidation in Japan. In recent weeks, the Russian army has carried out maneuvers on an unprecedented scale in the immediate vicinity of the archipelago. In order to dissuade him from toughening his sanctions. Between Moscow and Tokyo, the tension is rising day by day… and this escalation frightens the Japanese.
With our correspondent in Tokyo, Bruno Duval
For the third time in less than a month, large-scale Russian military exercises have just taken place in the Kuril archipelago, just a few kilometers from the Japanese island of Hokkaido. Also in the Sea of Japan, the Russian army is stepping up the pressure.
Thursday, April 14, she fired long-range cruise missiles there. As she had already done at the end of February. The Japanese media talk about ” sounds of boots Russians, and this panics these Tokyoites:
” Henceforth, Russia regards Japan as an “unfriendly” country. Sooner or later, for sure, we will pay for it… When I see Ukraine devastated by bombs on TV, I tell myself that Russian missiles on our densely populated Japanese cities would be carnage. I am very worried. »
” It scares me. It is often said that China could one day invade Taiwan, but I wonder more and more if, before that, it is not Japan that will be attacked by the Russians. This is really not reassuring..”
According to experts, at least 320 fighter-bombers, 260 destroyers and several Russian nuclear submarines are now stationed near Japan. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his ” deep concern “, but he refuses to bow his back in the face of these repeated intimidations. And the Japanese welcome his determination: a majority of respondents oppose the easing of sanctions.
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