MOSCOW, November 28. /TASS/. Tokyo and Washington don’t plan to deploy US intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles in Japan, Japanese Ambassador to Moscow Akira Muto told Russia’s National Defense magazine.

"There are very many different statements about the possible deployment of American intermediate-range missiles on the territory of Japan. I can say loud and clear that, as far as I know, Tokyo and Washington don’t have any such plans at this time," the diplomat said. "As for the possibility of deploying such missiles in the future, whatever it may be, the decision of the Japanese government will be made independently and based solely on Japan's national interests."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov previously did not rule out Russia's deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific if the US did the same.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told TASS that Russia’s military planning reflects the potential deployment of US missiles in Japan in case such ideas are realized.

US Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth said the US is interested in deploying ground-launched intermediate-range missiles in Japan for joint military exercises. In the spring, the US deployed an intermediate-range missile system in the northern Philippines as part of Philippine-US military exercises.