MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, one of four southern Kuril Islands claimed by both Russia and Japan, on Thursday, prompting a formal protest from Tokyo and adding to already strained relations between the two countries.
Putin’s trip was his first visit to the disputed island chain, according to reports. During the visit, he toured a fish-processing facility, a hospital and a school and met Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko, according to the Kremlin press service.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the visit “absolutely unacceptable,” saying the four islands were an inherent part of Japanese territory. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russia’s ambassador to Japan to convey Tokyo’s protest, Japanese officials said.
The islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as the Southern Kurils, have been administered by Russia since the Soviet Union seized them at the end of World War II. Japan claims sovereignty over Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai islets.
The territorial dispute has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from concluding a formal peace treaty to mark the end of World War II. Japan has repeatedly protested visits and other Russian activities on the islands, while Moscow maintains that its sovereignty over the territory is established.
The dispute has become more difficult to resolve since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, after which Japan joined Western sanctions against Moscow. Russia has criticized Tokyo’s policy toward the war, while Japan has continued to press its territorial claim.
Putin’s visit came as Russia continued to emphasize its administration and development of the islands. Japan’s government said the trip could further affect bilateral relations, while Moscow has rejected challenges to its sovereignty over the territory.
