MOSCOW, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russia lodged a strong protest with Japan over its military drill plans with the United States near Russia's borders, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

In the protest message to the Japanese Embassy in Russia, the ministry said the drills, to be held in late October and early November, involve areas of Hokkaido, located "in the immediate vicinity" of Russia's border.

"The Japanese side was informed that this practice was categorically unacceptable," the ministry said, pointing to the growing scale of these drills, including through the involvement of non-regional NATO member states.

The Japanese Embassy was warned about the inevitable adequate countermeasures Moscow will take to strengthen its defense capability and protect its sovereignty, it added. Enditem

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