The Japanese government has lodged two complaints with their Kremlin counterparts over Russia’s planned missile tests near the disputed Kuril Islands.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, 59, said two complaints were lodged on 3rd and 4th February ahead of planned military exercises starting on 8th February and lasting until 1st March, according to the newspaper The Mainichi Shimbun.

The Russian authorities, which recently released footage of Pacific Fleet warships passing through ice in La Perouse Strait before entering the Sea of Okhotsk, said the missile tests will take place this week until 25th February.

The exercises will cover a wide area of the Northern Territories, as the area is known in Japan, including Kunashir Island, one of several disputed islands called the Southern Kuril Islands by Russia.

Japan argues that the Soviet Union seized the islands illegally following Japan’s surrender in World War II in August 1945. Russia claims it did so legitimately.

Matsuno said: “Russia’s further armament of the four northern islands conflicts with Japan’s stance and is not acceptable. We have conveyed that we are closely following Russian military’s activities in areas around our country, including the Northern Territories.”

The dispute has prevented the two countries from concluding a post-war peace treaty and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, 64, vowed to resolve the row on Monday during an annual rally to demand the return of the disputed territories.

The PM said: “It is truly regrettable that 76 years after the war, the Northern Territories issue remains unresolved and a peace treaty has not been signed by Japan and Russia.

“I will tenaciously advance negotiations in accordance with agreements made so far.”