- Putin's visit to one of the four main Kuril Islands marks his first as president, with Russian media reporting he visited a fish-processing plant and tried local caviar.
- Japan has protested Putin's visit, which is significant as it is the first by a Russian president since Dmitry Medvedev in 2010.
President Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril Islands on Thursday has sparked significant protests from Japan, which claims the territory as its own. This marks the first visit by a Russian president since Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, intensifying tensions between the two nations.12
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated, "The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law," emphasizing the historical claims Japan holds over the islands. She condemned Putin's visit as "offensive to the sentiments of the Japanese people and absolutely unacceptable," suggesting it complicates the already strained relations between Japan and Russia.
Following the visit, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge a "strong protest". Motegi warned that the visit would "have an extremely negative impact on Japan-Russia relations", which have been further strained by Russia's ongoing military actions in Ukraine since 2022.
In response, Russia's embassy in Japan asserted that the islands are "an integral part of the Russian Federation," dismissing any claims to the contrary. The Kremlin also released a video showing Putin at a fish-processing plant, sampling local caviar, which has been interpreted as a provocative gesture amid the diplomatic tensions.
The United Nations has called for restraint, with a spokeswoman stating, "this is a bilateral issue between member states", urging both sides to avoid actions that could escalate tensions further. Japan has joined G7 nations in sanctioning Russia, further complicating diplomatic relations.
“The visit marks the first by a Russian president since Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, underscoring the long-standing territorial dispute. Kremlin footage shows Putin sampling caviar at a fish-processing plant, a gesture likely to further strain bilateral ties.”
