Putin’s visit to disputed island draws condemnation from Japan
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup was unacceptable and hindered better relations with Moscow.
Moscow, Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed island of Iturup on Thursday, drawing strong condemnation from Japan, which said the trip made any improvement in bilateral relations more difficult.
Territorial dispute
Known as Iturup in Russia and Etorofu in Japan, the island is one of four in the Kuril chain near Japan’s main islands that Moscow seized in the days after Japan’s surrender in World War Two.
Tokyo has maintained its claim to the islands and has made their return a condition for concluding a formal peace treaty, which would allow closer economic ties between the countries.
Japanese response
“It hurts the feelings of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a televised statement.
“We hope that the Russian side will take the seriousness of this matter fully to heart,” she added.
Relations between Moscow and Tokyo deteriorated after Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Japan joined other countries in condemning the attack and imposing sanctions on Russia.
Visit and regional developments
Putin’s trip came two days before Japan marks 81 years since its surrender ended World War Two, and a day after North Korea fired a missile into the sea between it and Japan ahead of major joint military exercises by Seoul and Washington.
Dmitry Medvedev was the first Russian leader to visit the disputed territory in 2010.
On Thursday, Russian ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev and Chinese Ambassador Wu Jianghao issued a joint statement pledging to oppose attempts to revise the results of World War Two. They also warned against re-militarisation in the Asia-Pacific, language that echoes Moscow’s rejection of Japan’s claim to the islands.
Island programme
TASS described the trip as Putin’s first visit to the island chain. During the visit, he toured the Yasny fish-processing plant after overseeing navy drills in Russia’s Far East.
Images broadcast by Vesti TV showed Putin in a dark suit beside two large tuna and a halibut on a table while officials discussed fishing and fish migration. He also tried local fish roe.
“What lovely weather you have there, just like a resort!” Putin told a group of local residents.
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