Putin provokes Japan with first visit to disputed islands, Tokyo reacts with fury

Russian President Vladimir Putin's first visit to the Kuril Islands, an archipelago controlled by Moscow and claimed by Japan, has sparked strong condemnation from Tokyo. Putin visited Iturup, one of the southernmost islands, touring a fish processing plant, a hospital, and a school. The visit occurred just one day after North Korea, an ally of the Kremlin, conducted significant naval drills and missile tests.

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This visit (...) goes against the constant position of Japan on the Northern Territories.

Japan asserts territorial rights over the four southernmost islands in the archipelago, which it calls the Northern Territories. These islands were seized by the Soviet Union in the closing days of World War II, and the ongoing dispute has prevented the two nations from formally concluding their hostilities with a peace treaty. Decades of diplomatic efforts have failed to yield a resolution, while Russia has consistently reinforced its military presence on the islands, signaling its firm stance.

Japanese officials reacted with anger to Putin's visit. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the visit "goes against Japan's constant position on the Northern Territories" and "hurts the feelings of the Japanese people." Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi declared that Japan "strongly protests" the visit to Iturup, which Tokyo calls Etorofu. He reiterated Japan's claim, asserting that "the Northern Territories, including Etorofu [Iturup] Island, are inherent territory of Japan both historically and from the perspective of international law."

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The displacement of Putin “hurts the feelings of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable.”

This is not the first time Japan has protested Russian visits to the islands; a similar protest occurred in 2021 when Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited. Putin's trip to Iturup followed stops in Sakhalin Island, where he observed the final stages of Pacific Fleet naval exercises. The Kremlin released video footage of Putin on the islands, interacting with residents and visiting local facilities, underscoring Russia's assertion of control over the territory.

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The Northern Territories, including the island of Etorofu [Iturup], are inherent territory of Japan both historically and from the perspective of international law.