Putin says NATO, Japan's plans pose security threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin warns NATO's plans to deploy new weapons in the Asia-Pacific pose a threat to Russia and increase the likelihood of conflict in the region.

This as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi calls Putin's visit to an island in a Russian-held, Japanese-claimed island chain off Hokkaido "totally unacceptable."

Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning comes as he observes his country's Pacific Fleet's military drills.

Putin was in the far eastern Sakhalin Island on board a missile cruiser Varyag where he received a report from Commander of the Pacific Fleet Viktor Liina.

And on Thursday, he visited the Kuril Islands, a Russian-controlled Pacific island chain also claimed by Japan, for the first time, drawing protests from Tokyo.

There, Putin visited a fish plant, a hospital and a school on Iturup, one of the chain's southernmost islands. He also briefly spoke to local residents and met with the governor of Russia's Sakhalin region, Valery Limarenko. Putin says "NATO is seeking to gain a foothold here and new military and political blocs are being formed." He adds "there are efforts and plans to deploy new weapons systems in the Asia-Pacific, which creates threats for Russia."

Putin says "there is growing tension in the neighbouring Arctic zone, as has been mentioned already, which relates to operating the Northern Sea Route."

Regarding the regional changes, the Russian president says Japan has classified Russia as a source of major threats for the first time.

He assured that Russia does not have any claims against Japan.

Russia and Japan have not signed a post-World War II peace treaty due to their rival claims to four Pacific islands, called the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan.

According to official NATO statements, security in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific is seen as increasingly linked, especially since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

This prompted Japan and NATO to enhance collaboration through the Individually Tailored Partnership Program.

Japan has also established a Diplomatic Mission to NATO in January 2025. In late June, the US Typhon mid-range missile system was temporarily deployed to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture for the US-hosted Valiant Shield 2026 military exercises.

Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, Japan has also been contributing to NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine.