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Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands for first time; Japan calls it 'unacceptable'
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Conflict & Security

Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands for first time; Japan calls it 'unacceptable'

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the Kuril Islands, a territory disputed with Japan since 1945.
  • Japan condemned the visit as "absolutely unacceptable" and an affront to Japanese sentiments.
  • The visit escalates regional tensions, with Japan identifying Russia as a major threat amid growing military ties between Russia, China, and North Korea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first-ever visit to the Kuril Islands, a chain of islands claimed by both Russia and Japan, on Thursday. This territorial dispute has been ongoing since 1945, and Japan has strongly condemned Putin's visit, labeling it "absolutely unacceptable" and a significant affront to Japanese national sentiments.

This visit hurts the feelings of the Japanese people, it is absolutely unacceptable... We strongly protest.

— Sanae TakaichiThe Japanese Prime Minister's reaction to President Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands.

The visit, which included stops at a fish processing plant and a school on Iturup Island, has heightened regional tensions. Japan considers the islands, which it calls the Northern Territories, to be inherently part of its sovereign territory under both historical and international law. The Japanese government has repeatedly urged Moscow not to organize presidential visits to the region, emphasizing that such actions exacerbate public resentment and hinder the improvement of bilateral relations, which have already been strained by the war in Ukraine.

This marks the first presidential visit to the islands since Dmitry Medvedev's trip in 2010, which also provoked anger in Tokyo. Medvedev, as prime minister, visited again in 2019. The current visit occurs against a backdrop of increasing military cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea, leading Japan to identify Russia as a major threat to its security.

This visit has further exacerbated the resentment of Japanese public opinion towards Russia and made improving relations more difficult.

— Sanae TakaichiThe Japanese Prime Minister on the impact of Putin's visit on bilateral relations.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi reiterated Tokyo's stance, stating that the islands are an inherent part of Japan. The visit has further inflamed Japanese public opinion, making the path toward better relations between the two nations more challenging. The dispute over the islands has been a long-standing obstacle to a formal peace treaty between Russia and Japan since World War II.

The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law.

— Toshimitsu MotegiThe Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, using the Japanese name for the islands.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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