RZHEV /Tver Region/, July 27. /TASS/. Russia calls on Japan to "get back on the peaceful path" of development, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Commenting on Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s statement on the need for a public discussion about potentially fielding nuclear weapons in the country, Zakharova noted that the "consequences of such irresponsible steps will be extremely negative" first and foremost for Tokyo.

"In this connection, we once again call on Tokyo to remember the lessons of history it is trying so hard to forget, I mean the history of World War II, and get back on the peaceful path," she stressed.