The Russian Air Force last week took joint control of a newly operational airport in the disputed Northern Territories, in a sign that Moscow is digging in over the islands.
On Tuesday the Russian government assigned a dual civilian-military role to Iturup Airport on the island of Etorofu, clearing the way for the deployment of warplanes, drones and command systems at the facility. The airport's 2.3-kilometer-long runway could handle such giant aircraft as the Boeing 747 or Russia's largest cargo planes carrying midweight loads.
Japan's top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, expressed concern Friday over the move.