- Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has criticised Vladimir Putin's first-ever visit to the disputed Kuril islands on Thursday as "absolutely unacceptable".
- Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands included a trip to Iturup, where he sampled fish roe and spoke to locals, according to Russian state media.
- Takaichi stated that Putin's trip "wounds the feelings of the Japanese people" and is "incompatible with Japan's consistent position on the Northern Territories".
- Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi asserted that the islands are "inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law, and the Government of Japan strongly protests this visit".
- The Soviet Union annexed the Kuril Islands at the end of World War Two and deported around 17,000 Japanese residents.
- Japan has protested against previous visits by Russian officials to the disputed islands, including Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev.
- The countries have been locked in a dispute over the Kurils for decades, preventing them from signing a peace treaty after World War Two.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed strong disapproval of Vladimir Putin's first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, labeling it "absolutely unacceptable." This visit has intensified tensions between Japan and Russia, which have been embroiled in a territorial dispute since the end of World War II.13
Takaichi stated that Putin's actions "wound the feelings of the Japanese people" and are "incompatible with Japan's consistent position on the Northern Territories." The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, were seized by the Soviet Union in 1945, leading to the deportation of around 17,000 Japanese residents.
Japan's foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, echoed Takaichi's sentiments, asserting that the islands are "inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law." In response to the visit, Motegi summoned the Russian ambassador, Nikolay Nozdrev, to formally protest the actions.
The Kuril Islands hold strategic significance for Russia, which has increased its military presence in the region over the past decade. The islands provide access to rich fishing grounds and valuable mineral deposits, further complicating the territorial dispute. Japan has previously protested against visits by Russian officials to the islands, and bilateral relations have soured, particularly following Japan's sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
As tensions rise, the future of Japan-Russia relations remains uncertain, with the Kuril Islands continuing to be a major point of contention.
“The visit to Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu, marks the first by a Russian leader to the chain, which Japan claims as its Northern Territories. Takaichi said the trip 'wounds the feelings of the Japanese people' and is 'incompatible with Japan's consistent position'.”
BBC
The Guardian
