Japan protests Russia's military exercise at disputed isles

Japan has lodged a protest with Russia over a military exercise on two Moscow-controlled, Tokyo-claimed islands off Hokkaido, Japan's top government spokesman said Thursday."We have protested through a diplomatic channel that armament on the four northern islands, including such an exercise, is not in line with our country's position regarding the islands and is unacceptable," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.The five-day exercise started Wednesday on the disputed islands of Etorofu and Kunashiri as well as Sakhalin island and in the Sea of Japan.The dispute over the islands call…READ FULL ARTICLE