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Japan Protests Putin's Visit to Disputed Kuril Islands
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Japan Protests Putin's Visit to Disputed Kuril Islands

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Japan has lodged a strong protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup Island, part of the disputed Kuril Islands.
  • Putin's visit marks the first time a Russian leader has visited the largest island in the archipelago, which Moscow administers and Tokyo claims.
  • The dispute over the Kuril Islands has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a peace treaty since World War II.

Japan formally protested on Thursday Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup Island, the largest of the disputed Kuril Islands. This marks the first time a Russian head of state has set foot on the archipelago, which Moscow controls but Tokyo claims as its inherent territory.

are part of the inherent territory of Japan, both historically and legally under international law

— Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi's officeStating Japan's official position on the sovereignty of the Kuril Islands.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a "strong protest" against the visit, asserting that the islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories (Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan, and Habomai), are "an integral part of Japanese territory, both historically and legally under international law." The Russian Foreign Ministry had announced Putin's visit to Iturup, where he toured a fish processing complex, a hospital, and a secondary school, before meeting with the governor of the Sakhalin region.

Putin's trip followed his observation of Pacific Fleet military exercises, where he emphasized that the "reality" of the Kuril Islands is "reflected in international documents," despite Japan's territorial claims. He also commented on bilateral relations, acknowledging the constructive role of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe but criticizing Japan's sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating the shift in Japan's position was "not provoked by us at all."

the reality of the Kuril Islands is reflected in international documents

— Vladimir PutinAsserting Russia's claim over the islands despite Japanese objections.

The Kuril Islands have been a persistent point of friction between Japan and Russia since the end of World War II. Although the Soviet Union and Japan agreed in 1956 to resume diplomatic relations and outlined terms for a potential peace treaty, including the return of two islands to Japan, both nations later renounced the agreement. Tokyo continues to claim all four islands, a dispute that remains the primary reason for the absence of a formal peace treaty between the two countries.

We are seeing a change in their position, one that, I want to emphasize, was not provoked by us at all.

— Vladimir PutinCommenting on Japan's sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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