Japan lodges strong protest after Putin visits disputed Kuril island
Japan's PM strongly protests Putin's first visit to Iturup, an island Tokyo claims as part of its Northern Territories.
Japan has formally protested after Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to Iturup, one of the Pacific islands that Tokyo claims as its own. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the trip as "absolutely unacceptable" and said it would further damage already strained bilateral ties.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday, Takaichi said the Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan, both historically and under international law. She noted that Tokyo had repeatedly urged Moscow to cancel such a visit, especially after Putin said in January 2024 that he intended to travel there.
"This latest visit by the incumbent Russian president is incompatible with Japan's consistent position," she said. "It also hurts the feelings of the Japanese people."
Putin arrived on Iturup on Thursday, visiting a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school. He also met with the governor of Russia's Sakhalin region, Valery Limarenko, and spoke briefly with local residents. Before reaching the island, the Russian leader attended the final phase of Pacific Fleet drills on Sakhalin.
Japan claims the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, which it calls the Northern Territories. The Soviet Union seized them at the end of World War II, and the dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty. Decades of talks have failed to resolve the issue.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a separate statement saying Japan "strongly protests" the visit. He reiterated that the islands are Japanese territory historically and under international law.
Tokyo had earlier protested a similar trip in 2021 by Russia's then-Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Moscow has also strengthened its military presence on the islands in recent years, a move widely seen as a signal of its firm stance in the dispute.
Takaichi said the visit has hardened public sentiment in Japan toward Russia and made it more difficult to restore bilateral relations in the medium to long term. "We hope the Russian side will fully appreciate the seriousness of this matter," she added.