Key facts
- Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island on August 13, 2026.
- Iturup Island is part of the Kuril Islands chain, claimed by both Russia and Japan.
- Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi lodged a strong protest against the visit.
- Tokyo asserts historical and international law claims to the islands.
- Moscow bases its claim on Japan's defeat in World War II.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island on Thursday, a move that has angered Japanese authorities. The island, part of the Kuril Islands chain, is claimed by both Moscow and Tokyo. Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu, is located northeast of Japan, approximately 100 kilometers from Hokkaido's coast.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed strong disapproval, stating on X that the Northern Territories, including Iturup Island, are "inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law." He added that the Japanese government "strongly protests this visit."
Russia, however, maintains that the island chain became part of Russian territory after Japan's defeat in World War II. Iturup hosts a strategically important military base for Russia. In 2025, Japan had previously protested a Russian military exercise in the waters surrounding the disputed islands, deeming Russia's "military buildup" in the region unacceptable.