NHK reported on a Russia-Japan foreign and defense ministerial meeting to be convened in Moscow today, noting that Foreign Minister Kono and Defense Minister Onodera are set to ask their Russian counterparts for cooperation in maintaining strong sanctions against North Korea until complete denuclearization is achieved. The network said that the participants are expected to discuss Japan’s plan to deploy Aegis Ashore batteries and that the Japanese side is set to explain they are purely defensive systems intended to protect the Japanese nation. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov reportedly voiced concern about U.S. missile defense systems during a speech in Moscow on Monday, saying the rapid reconciliation between Washington and Pyongyang undermines the Trump administration’s rationale for enhancing missile defense. The network projected that the Russian officials will probably voice opposition to Japan’s Aegis Ashore platforms for the same reason.