Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands has opened a fresh diplomatic front with Japan. Tokyo has reacted sharply, summoning Russia’s ambassador and lodging a strong protest over the visit.
Putin travelled to Iturup, one of the islands Japan claims as part of its Northern Territories. His visit has put a decades-old territorial dispute back in the spotlight at a time when relations between Moscow and Tokyo are already strained.
Putin Lands on Island Japan Claims
During his visit, Putin toured a fish-processing plant on Iturup, known as Etorofu in Japan. Russian media reported that the President was shown around the facility and was presented with caviar.
But the location of the visit is what has attracted the most attention.
Japan claims four islands in the southern Kuril chain, including Iturup. Tokyo considers these islands part of its territory, while Russia has controlled them since the Soviet Union took them over in 1945.
The Kuril archipelago stretches from Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula towards Japan’s Hokkaido and sits in a strategically important part of the Pacific.
Japan Sends Strong Message To Moscow
Japan’s response was immediate.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan’s territory under both history and international law. Tokyo subsequently summoned the Russian ambassador to formally protest Putin’s visit.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also condemned the trip, saying it was unacceptable and offended the sentiments of the Japanese people.
For Japan, Putin’s presence on Iturup is not simply a diplomatic visit. It touches one of the country’s most sensitive unresolved territorial issues.
The Dispute Goes Back To World War II
The roots of the dispute stretch back more than eight decades.
The Soviet Union seized the islands in the final stages of World War II in 1945. Japan’s population on the islands, numbering around 17,000 at the time, was expelled.
Today, roughly 20,000 Russian citizens live across the islands.
The dispute has remained unresolved for decades and has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a formal peace treaty ending World War II.
The relationship between the two countries deteriorated further after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Japan joining Western sanctions against Moscow.
Why These Islands Are So Important
The Kuril Islands are much more than a territorial symbol.
Their location gives them major strategic value. The island chain forms an arc between Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan’s Hokkaido, providing access to important waters in the northwestern Pacific.
The islands are also known for fishing grounds and mineral resources.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union maintained a significant military presence there because of the islands’ proximity to Japan and the wider Pacific region.
That strategic importance has not disappeared.
Putin’s Visit Comes After Military Drills
The timing of Putin’s trip has added another element to the story.
Before travelling to the Kurils, Putin visited nearby Sakhalin, where Russia’s Pacific Fleet was conducting military exercises.
The Russian President’s presence in the region therefore comes at a moment when Moscow continues to emphasise the strategic importance of Russia’s Far East.
Putin Follows Medvedev’s Footsteps
Putin may be the latest Russian leader to visit the disputed islands, but he is not the first.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian president to visit the territory in 2010. He returned to the region in 2015 while serving as prime minister.
Putin’s visit, however, carries particular weight because of the current state of Russia-Japan relations.
Can Russia And Japan Finally Resolve The Dispute?
For decades, negotiations have failed to produce a final settlement.
The issue has remained one of the biggest obstacles to a formal peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo since World War II.
Now, Putin’s first visit to the disputed islands has once again brought the territorial conflict into the international spotlight.
For Japan, it is a direct challenge to its long-standing territorial claim. For Russia, control over the islands remains tied to its strategic position in the Pacific.
With both sides maintaining their opposing positions, the latest confrontation shows that the Kuril Islands dispute is far from over.