Russia has threatened to forbid visa-free travel for Japanese officials to the disputed Kurile Islands if Tokyo goes on making statements assuming ownership of the islands. “If for some reason Japanese politicians cannot refrain from making public statements on the subject of the islands after a visit to Russian territory, we reserve the right to limit their participation in such trips,” the Russian... 

When President Barack Obama announced the rebalancing of U.S. forces toward Asia in 2011, it was often called “the pivot to the Pacific”. Now it’s Russia’s turn to refocus. Russians, like Americans, are turning their attention to a region that’s home to half the global population, several of the largest and fastest-growing economies and some of the world’s busiest ports and shipping lanes. “The...