Russia formally protested the planned deployment of the U.S. Typhon missile system in Japan during Orient Shield 2026, citing security threats to Russia’s Far East.

The broader context involves expanding U.S.-Japan-Australia defense cooperation and interoperability efforts amid growing regional security tensions.

Orient Shield 26 will run from September 8 to 24 in Japan, and about 3,700 personnel from the United States, Japan, and Australia will participate, making it the largest such exercise to date.

Russia has signaled potential compensatory actions but has not disclosed what those measures would entail.

The exercises, titled Orient Shield 26, are set to take place mainly in Hokkaido, Japan.

The episode highlights the overlap between European and Indo-Pacific security dynamics, with Russia confronting NATO in Europe while challenging US-led security coalitions in Asia.

Japan’s Defense Ministry confirmed the Typhon system’s deployment for the joint U.S.-Japan-Australia drills, marking its first use in these exercises.