Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the Kuril Islands, a move that has triggered strong protests from Japan over the disputed territory claimed by both countries.
Putin visited Iturup, one of the southern Kuril Islands controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan, on Thursday. During the visit, he toured a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school, interacted briefly with residents and met with Sakhalin Region Governor Valery Limarenko.
Japan considers the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain — which it refers to as the Northern Territories — to be its own territory. The Soviet Union seized the islands from Japan in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has prevented both countries from signing a formal peace treaty to end their wartime hostilities.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi strongly condemned Putin’s visit and said Tokyo had lodged a diplomatic protest with Russia.
Motegi said the Northern Territories, including Iturup, are Japan’s inherent territory based on both historical claims and international law. He also summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to the Japanese Foreign Ministry and instructed him to convey Tokyo’s concerns to Moscow.
Russia rejected Japan’s protest, describing it as unfounded. The Russian Embassy in Japan maintained that the southern Kuril Islands are an integral part of Russia and said their status was established following World War II.
The embassy also argued that visits by Russian leaders to the islands are sovereign decisions that should not be subject to discussion with foreign governments.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described Putin’s visit as incompatible with Japan’s position on the Northern Territories and called it “absolutely unacceptable.”
She warned that the visit could further damage already strained relations between Japan and Russia, particularly following Japan’s sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Takaichi said the development had further hardened Japanese public opinion toward Russia and could make it more difficult to improve bilateral relations in the future.
Putin, however, defended Russia’s position on the islands, saying their current status was established through international agreements following World War II. He added that Moscow remained open to finding a solution that could eventually allow the two countries to conclude a peace treaty.
He also recalled his past dealings with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whom he credited with efforts to improve relations between Russia and Japan.
The territorial dispute has remained unresolved for decades despite repeated diplomatic efforts. Russia has also strengthened its military presence in the Kuril Islands over the years, reinforcing its claim over the territory.
Japan has previously protested Russian visits to the disputed islands, including a 2021 visit by then-Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also dismissed Takaichi’s criticism, insisting that the Kuril Islands “were, are, and will remain Russian land.”
The dispute continues to pose a major obstacle to the normalization of relations between Japan and Russia.
