Putin's Historic Visit Draws Japanese Condemnation
Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time, stopping at a fish plant on Iturup, also known as Etorofu, where he tasted caviar. Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi lodged a protest, asserting the islands' historical and legal status as Japanese territory.[S1][S3][S5]
Putin's trip to the disputed islands marks his first in over 25 years and the first by a Russian president since 2010. The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, were taken by the Soviet Union in 1945, resulting in the deportation of 17,000 Japanese residents, and have prevented a formal peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo since World War II.[S1][S6]
Strategic and Regional Context
Russia's strategic interests in the Kuril Islands have led to increased military presence, with Iturup serving as a key airbase. Following North Korea's ballistic missile launch and preceding joint Seoul-Washington exercises, Putin inspected a Pacific Fleet drill in the Sakhalin Region, focusing on eastern border security.[S1][S4][S5][S6]
Ties between Japan and Russia remain strained due to the ongoing dispute over the Kuril islands, with Japan having previously protested visits by high-ranking Russian officials. The relationship has been further complicated by Japan's imposition of sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. Recent joint naval exercises between China and Russia in the region have also drawn criticism from Tokyo.[S1]
