Japan asks France to stop Mistral sale to Russia
Kosuke Takahashi, Tokyo and James Hardy, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
29 July 2014
Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera on 29 July expressed "strong concerns" over France's plan to sell two Mistral-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships to Moscow, citing the ongoing Ukraine crisis and Russia's recent military buildup in the Asia-Pacific region.
In his fourth meeting with French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Onodera said Russia had been strengthening its capabilities and stepping up military operations and training in the region.
Asked about the reason why Japan just expressed deep concerns, instead of requesting the cancellation of France's plan to sell the ships to Russia, Onodera said: "To express our concerns is the same as saying, 'Can't you cancel the plan?'."
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