In brief
Japan’s foreign minister condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup, one of the Kuril Islands disputed by Japan and Russia. The islands, Japan calls the Northern Territories, have been administered by Russia since the end of World War II. The visit, in which Putin sampled local fish roe and spoke to residents, has reignited diplomatic tensions and highlighted the strategic military importance of the region. Japan stresses that the territory lies within its historical and international law bounds and reiterated that it will absorb the dispute into its broader strategy for East‑Asian security. Meanwhile, the joint Chinese‑Russian naval presence nearby and previous Russian military drills have increased concerns about the region’s hot‑button status.
Japan’s foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a strong protest after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu, one of the four southernmost islands claimed by both countries.
The southern Kuril islands lie between Japan’s Hokkaido island and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The four islands—Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai group—are administered by Russia, but Japan claims them as its Northern Territories and argues that they fall under international law and historical entitlement.
During his visit on Thursday, Putin sampled fish roe and reportedly spoke to island locals, according to Russian state media.
The islands are strategic military positions for Russia, with Iturup serving as the primary air base in the region.
The same dispute has prevented the signing of a formal peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo since World War II. Russia’s recent joint naval patrols with China and its military drills near the islands have drawn condemnation from Japan, further inflaming the rivalry.
