MOSCOW, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia has expressed opposition to discussions in Japan about the possible acquisition of nuclear weapons, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said Saturday.

Rudenko told the TASS news agency that Moscow is aware of ongoing discussions in Japan concerning potential changes to constitutional provisions related to its non-nuclear principles.

"Our position is unequivocally negative," Rudenko said. "We believe that the militarization of Japan will only worsen the situation in Northeast Asia."

He added that such moves would provoke corresponding countermeasures from countries that feel threatened.

Earlier this week, an official within Japan's prime minister's office said Japan should possess nuclear weapons, a controversial stance in opposition to the country's constitutional non-nuclear principles. ■