Russia deploys coastal missile system on island chain near Japan

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has deployed its Bastion coastal missile defence system to a remote part of the Kuril island chain in the Pacific near Japan, the Ministry of Defence's Zvezda TV channel said on Thursday.

Japan lays claim to the Russian-held southern Kuril islands that Tokyo calls the Northern Territories, a territorial row that dates back to the end of World War Two when Soviet troops seized them from Japan.

The dispute has prevented them signing a formal peace treaty.

Russia used large landing ships to deliver equipment and personnel to the remote Matua island in the central part of the island chain, Zvezda said.

Russia is trying to beef up its military infrastructure on the island chain, the Ministry of Defence announced in August.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Anton Kolodyazhnyy; editing by Barbara Lewis)

FILE PHOTO: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visits a fish processing complex on the southern Kuril island of Iturup, Russia July 26, 2021. Sputnik/Dmitry Astakhov/Pool via REUTERS

A carrier of Russia's Bastion coastal missile defence system is seen on the remote Matua island, which is part the Kuril island chain also known as the Northern Territories in Japan, in the Pacific, in this still image taken from video released by the Russian Defence Ministry December 2, 2021. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Russia's carriers of the Bastion coastal missile defence system drive on the remote Matua island, which is part the Kuril island chain also known as the Northern Territories in Japan, in the Pacific, in this still image taken from video released by the Russian Defence Ministry December 2, 2021. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Russia's carriers of the Bastion coastal missile defence system drive on the remote Matua island, which is part the Kuril island chain also known as the Northern Territories in Japan, in the Pacific, in this still image taken from video released by the Russian Defence Ministry December 2, 2021. Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

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