The presence of US soldiers on Japanese soil is hindering closer ties between Tokyo and Russia and remains of concern to Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday.

There are some 54,000 American personnel stationed in Japan as part of a mutual security pact between the two countries, according to the US military.

Speaking on the sidelines of a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting held in Nagoya, central Japan, Lavrov said these troops were “of course a problem on the road to improving the quality of Russia-Japanese relations.”

He said Moscow’s concerns “over its own security stemming from the presence, development and constant reinforcement of the US-Japan political and military alliance” had been transmitted to the Japanese side, who had “promised to react.”

“We will await their response and continue discussions,” said Lavrov.