The Russian Ambassador in Tokyo, Nikolai Nozdrev, has issued a warning to Japan in response to the potential transfer of Patriot missiles produced in Japan to Ukraine. Nozdrev emphasized that such an action could have severe repercussions for the bilateral relations between Russia and Japan, including possible “retaliatory steps.”

By the end of 2023, the White House announced Japan’s agreement to a United States request to supply Patriot air defense systems. This decision was made possible by the Japanese government’s liberalization of its previously restrictive export regulations on arms, allowing Japan to transfer weapons produced under a license from another country to foreign nations. According to the Associated Press, speculation arose about the potential deployment of these weapons by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia following this announcement.