Japan lodged a protest on Friday against Moscow's decision to conduct missile tests off disputed islands visited by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
"We lodged a protest in response to the notification about the plan to conduct a missile test" off the islands, a Japanese government spokesperson said.
Japanese news agency Kyodo quoted Russia's Pacific Fleet as saying that it had already conducted the missile test, although it was unclear when it took place.
Kyodo reported that a unit equipped with the Bastion surface-to-ship missile system conducted the test from the chain's largest island, Etorofu.
Flagship of Russia's Pacific Fleet, the guided missile cruiser Varyag, also took part in the test, along with the Omsk nuclear-powered submarine, the news agency said.
