Key facts
- Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island, part of the disputed Kuril Islands.
- Japan claims the islands, known as the Northern Territories, seized by the Soviet Union in WWII.
- Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned the Russian ambassador to protest.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the visit 'absolutely unacceptable' and a blow to bilateral ties.
- Putin stated the islands' current status is a post-WWII reality enshrined in international documents.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island, part of the Kuril Islands chain, sparking a strong protest from Japan, which claims the territory. Putin's visit to the southern Kuril island, which Japan calls Etorofu, marks his first trip to the archipelago. Japan asserts historical and international law claims to the islands, known as the Northern Territories, which were seized by the Soviet Union in the final days of World War II. This dispute has prevented the two nations from signing a formal peace treaty.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to lodge a protest, stating that the islands are Japan's inherent territory. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the visit 'absolutely unacceptable' and a blow to already strained bilateral ties, particularly in light of Japan's sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
Putin, speaking from a warship participating in Pacific Fleet drills, stated that the islands' current status is a post-WWII reality enshrined in international documents. He also noted that Russia had previously developed constructive relations with Japanese leaders, including the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but that Japan's stance has since hardened.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, dismissed Japan's protests, asserting that the Kuril Islands 'were, are, and will remain Russian land.'