Japan's government strongly protests Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril islands, a disputed territory claimed by both Japan and Russia, as the Russian president made his first trip to the island chain on Thursday. The visit, reported by Russian state media, has escalated tensions between the two nations, which have been locked in a decades-long dispute over the Kuril islands, situated between Japan's northern island of Hokkaido and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. Japan's foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, emphasized that the islands are "inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law", and condemned Putin's visit as a provocation.
The Kuril islands have been a point of contention between Russia and Japan since the end of World War Two, when the Soviet Union annexed the island chain and deported around 17,000 Japanese residents. The dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty, and bilateral ties have remained strained. Japan has imposed sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in2022, and has protested against previous visits by Russian officials to the disputed islands, including Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev.
During his visit, Putin sampled local seafood and spoke to island residents, according to Russian state media reports. The Kuril islands are a strategic location for Russia, which has increased its military presence on the islands over the past decade. The island of Iturup, visited by Putin, serves as Russia's primary military air base in the region. Recent joint naval patrols with China and regular military drills near the islands have drawn condemnation from Japan, which views Russia's actions as a threat to regional security.
The visit is likely to further complicate efforts to resolve the territorial dispute, which have made little progress over the years. Japan's protests against Putin's visit reflect the ongoing tensions between the two nations, and the visit is seen as a demonstration of Russia's commitment to maintaining its control over the disputed islands. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Japan and Russia will navigate their complex and often contentious relationship.
