TOKYO WANTS EXPLANATION FOR RUSSIAN’S NO-SHOW.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry would like Moscow to explain why First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Ilyushin abruptly canceled a scheduled visit to Japan last week only to show up as head of a Russian delegation in Switzerland yesterday. Ilyushin, whose dismissal has been much speculated upon in Moscow, had reportedly told Japanese foreign minister Yukihiko Ikeda that he would not be traveling to Japan because he had to deal with serious domestic social issues. (Kyodo, March 5)

UAE May Buy Russian Missile Defense System.