Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has strongly criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, calling the move “absolutely unacceptable” and saying it hurt the sentiments of the Japanese people. Putin visited Iturup, one of the four southern Kuril Islands claimed by Japan, on Thursday.
Takaichi said Tokyo considers the islands, which Japan calls the Northern Territories, to be an inherent part of Japanese territory. Her comments came after Putin’s first reported visit to the island chain, which has remained a major source of tension between Russia and Japan since the end of World War II.
During his visit, Putin toured a fish-processing facility and other local sites and met officials from Russia’s Sakhalin region. The Russian president reiterated Moscow’s position that its sovereignty over the islands is supported by international agreements and post-war arrangements. Russia has controlled the islands since Soviet forces seized them in the final stages of World War II.
Japan disputes Russia’s sovereignty over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai Islands. Tokyo has repeatedly demanded the return of the four territories, while Moscow maintains that the islands are legally Russian territory. The disagreement has prevented Russia and Japan from concluding a formal post-World War II peace treaty.
Relations between Moscow and Tokyo have deteriorated further since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Japan joining international sanctions against Russia. Putin’s latest visit is therefore likely to add to existing diplomatic tensions. Japanese officials have reaffirmed that Tokyo will continue to defend its territorial position and seek a resolution to the long-running dispute through diplomacy.
