Nikkei wrote that in response to a Russian media report claiming that the Russian military has deployed reconnaissance drones on the islands of Kunashiri and Etorofu in the Northern Territories, the GOJ lodged a protest with the Russian government through diplomatic channels on Tuesday. According to the paper, the director of the Russian Division of MOFA conveyed to a senior official at the Russian Embassy in Tokyo the message that the move is unacceptable because it runs counter to Japan’s position on the Northern Territories.