Fin Min Says 'Bar Russia From G20', As Moscow Warns On Naval Exercises

Wires carrying comments from Japanese Finance Minsiter Shunichi Suzuki stating that Russia should not take part in the G20 meetings this year due to the invasion of Ukraine.

• Tensions between Japan and Russia escalating in recent weeks. Earlier today, Russia's state-run RIA reported comments from the Russian Foreign Ministry stating that if the scale of joint US-Japanese naval exercises in the seas surrounding Japan escalate, then Moscow would be 'forced to retaliate'.
• Japan and Russia have been engaged in a decades-long territorial dispute over islands in the Sea of Okhotsk, known in Japan as the Northern Territory and in Russia as the Kuril Islands.
• The two nations are treading a fine line in relations, with the two signing a deal over the weekend on fishing and Japan still purchasing Russian oil and gas. This is despite Japan imposing sanctions including expulsions of some Russian individuals and the removal of most favoured nation trading status. In response, Russia ended talks over the disputed islands and called a halt to joint economic projects.