TOKYO, March 21. /TASS/. The plans on the deployment of the US missile defense system to Japan directly affect Russia’s security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono.
"In the context of goals of strategic stability we once again drew attention of Japanese colleagues to the need to develop collective steps in this area, to collectively strengthen strategic situation and ensure global parity," Lavrov said.
Russia reiterated its stance on the US plans to deploy the global missile defense system and Japan’s plans to actively join these plans, he said.
"With full respect for Japan’s right to choose the ways of ensuring the protection of its territory we consider that any steps of a country in this area should be based on the principle of indivisibility of security when no one will ensure their security at the expense of violating the security of others," he said.
"The plans on deploying the global missile defense system directly affect Russia’s security," Lavrov said. "We agreed to continue this constructive dialogue and to carefully listen to each other."
In December 2017, the Japanese government approved the decision to host two Aegis Ashore systems. They are to be stationed at test sites of Japan’s self-defense force in the northern prefecture Akita and southeastern prefecture Yamaguchi by 2023 or earlier. For the Aegis Ashore systems Tokyo plans to purchase four SM-3 Block 2A missiles with a range of flight of up to 1,000 kilometers.