Russia lodges protest over Japan-US military exercises

MOSCOW, July 17 (Reuters) - Russia has lodged a protest with the Japanese embassy in Moscow over the participation of Japanese forces in the large-scale U.S.-led military exercise Resolute Force Pacific, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"Russia considers such irresponsible activity, which bears all the hallmarks of preparation for armed conflict, unacceptable. It poses a potential threat to the security of the Russian Federation and will inevitably prompt appropriate countermeasures," the ministry said.