Key facts
- Russia summoned Japan's ambassador, Akira Muto, to protest remarks.
- The protest followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands.
- Japan claims the islands as its Northern Territories; Russia calls them the Southern Kurils.
- Russia stated its sovereignty over the islands is indisputable and Japanese challenges are unlawful.
- Moscow warned of potential countermeasures due to Japan's sanctions and support for Ukraine.
Russia summoned Japan's ambassador to Moscow to protest Tokyo's condemnation of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands, an archipelago claimed by both nations. The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, were seized by the Soviet Union from Japan at the end of World War II. Russia currently administers them and asserts its sovereignty, a claim Japan disputes.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi had called Putin's visit "unacceptable" and a further blow to strained ties. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin conveyed Moscow's strong objection to Ambassador Akira Muto, emphasizing that Russia's jurisdiction over the islands is "absolutely unshakable" and that any attempts to question this are "unlawful."
Relations between Russia and Japan have significantly deteriorated since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Japan joining international sanctions against Moscow. In response to Japan's stance, Russia stated it reserves the right to take "appropriate countermeasures." The unresolved island dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty.