Russia summons Japan ambassador over Putin's Kuril Islands visit

Russia summoned Japan's ambassador on Tuesday to the Foreign Ministry, a move that escalates a territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands. The diplomatic exchange follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the islands last week, which Tokyo claims.

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The Japanese authorities have exceeded the limits of decency.

Relations between Russia and Japan have long been strained by the dispute over four of the Kuril Islands. The Soviet Union seized these islands in the final days of World War II, and while Russia considers them part of its territory, Japan continues to claim them.

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We have summoned the ambassador of Japan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Japanese authorities of exceeding the "limits of decency" in their criticism of Putin's trip. He stated that the ambassador was summoned to discuss "the behavior of the Japanese authorities." Initially, the ambassador was reportedly unavailable, with Moscow citing reasons such as being out of town or unwell. However, a spokesperson later indicated he would attend the meeting.

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Either because he was not in Moscow, or because he was unwell, we did not understand the reason very well.

The incident highlights the persistent sensitivity surrounding the Kuril Islands, a strategically important archipelago in the Far East that has been a point of contention between the two nations for decades.

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Either he felt better suddenly and will go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tomorrow.