NATO is penetrating the Asia-Pacific region, and the plans to deploy new weapons in that region pose a threat to Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, TASS reports.

According to him, tensions are growing not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but also in the neighboring Arctic region.

Putin added that Japan has imposed unprovoked sanctions against Russia, without delving into the causes of the conflict in Ukraine.

“Russia does not threaten Japan, Moscow has no claims to Tokyo. Japan has claims to Russia on the Kuril [Islands] issue, although they are enshrined in international documents as realities formed after World War II, within Russia. Russia had constructive relations with [assassinated former prime minister of Japan] Shinzo Abe and other Japanese leaders, but now Tokyo has changed its position,” the Russian president noted.

According to him, the authorities of a number of Western countries, violating maritime law, are trying to restrict the movement of Russian merchant ships.

Putin promised that Russia would respond in the same way to the seizure of its merchant ships, not only in the same waters, but also anywhere, including in the Pacific Ocean. The Russian leader called the West’s plans to seize Russian ships “piracy and banditry.”