Japan Calls Putin’s Visit ‘Absolutely Unacceptable’
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has strongly condemned Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, describing the Russian president’s trip as “absolutely unacceptable” and warning that it has further damaged relations between Tokyo and Moscow.
Russian state media reported that Putin visited Iturup, known as Etorofu in Japan, on Thursday. The island is one of four southern territories in the Kuril chain claimed by both Russia and Japan.
Takaichi said the visit had worsened Japanese public sentiment towards Russia and reaffirmed Tokyo’s position that the islands are historically Japanese territory and belong to Japan under international law.
Tokyo Reaffirms Its Territorial Claim
Speaking from the prime minister’s office, Takaichi said Putin’s visit had hurt the feelings of the Japanese people and was incompatible with Japan’s longstanding position on what it calls the Northern Territories.
“I hope that the Russian side will take the gravity of this matter very seriously,” she said.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also criticised the visit earlier on Thursday, declaring that the islands are inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law.
Motegi said the Japanese government had strongly protested the Russian president’s visit.
Kuril Dispute Dates Back to World War Two
The territorial dispute has continued for decades and remains a major obstacle to Japan and Russia signing a formal peace treaty following the Second World War.
The Kuril Islands stretch between Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Japan claims the four southernmost islands, which it calls the Northern Territories, while Russia administers them.
At the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union annexed the island chain and deported around 17,000 Japanese residents.
During his visit to Iturup, Putin reportedly met local residents and sampled fish roe, according to Russian state media.
Relations Already Strained by Ukraine War
Attempts by Japan and Russia to resolve the territorial dispute have made little progress over the years. Relations have also deteriorated sharply since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Japan imposed sanctions on Russia following the invasion and has maintained a firm position against Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
Tokyo has previously protested visits by senior Russian officials to the disputed islands, including former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his successor, Mikhail Mishustin.
Russia Expands Military Presence
The Kuril Islands are strategically important to Russia, which has strengthened its military presence across the territory over the past decade.
Iturup is used as a key military air base for Russian forces operating in the region, adding to the islands’ strategic significance.
Russia also regularly conducts military exercises around the disputed territory, prompting repeated condemnation from Japan.
Last month, Russian and Chinese naval vessels sailed through a strait in the Kuril Islands during a joint patrol, further highlighting the area’s growing military importance.
Putin Visit Could Deepen Tensions
Putin’s visit is expected to add further strain to already difficult relations between Russia and Japan. Tokyo continues to maintain that the four southern Kuril Islands are Japanese territory, while Moscow exercises administrative and military control over them.
With the territorial dispute unresolved and military activity continuing in the region, the latest visit has once again brought the longstanding disagreement between the two countries into the spotlight.
