MOSCOW

Japan’s "nuclear blackmail" accusation against Russia is "cynical, unscrupulous speculation," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

"Attempts to attribute to Russia the non-existing plans to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine is nothing more than cynical, unscrupulous speculation. There has been no change in our approach to this issue," a ministry statement said.

On Friday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno condemned Russia's plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and said it would further escalate the situation and that Japan would never accept "Russia's nuclear menace, let alone its use."

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged Tokyo to show similar "concern" about the US nuclear weapons already deployed in Europe.

The ministry also criticized Japan's anti-Russian sanctions announced on Friday and said it closely follows the implementation of sanctions, and assesses its possible impact on national security and economy.

"In any case, such illegitimate actions of official Tokyo will not remain unanswered," it added.