On August 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited for the first time islands seized from Japan by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Tokyo called the trip absolutely unacceptable and summoned the Russian ambassador.
The New York Times reported the visit.
Putin traveled to Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu. Russia considers it part of the southern Kuril Islands, while Japan refers to the territories as the Northern Territories and regards them as an inherent part of its territory.
During the trip, Putin reiterated Russia’s territorial claims to the islands and criticized Japan’s sanctions imposed over the war against Ukraine.
“We are not threatening Japan. We have absolutely no claims against it. On the contrary, it is Japan that has territorial claims against our country,” he said.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responded by stressing that the islands are “an inherent part of Japan’s territory, both historically and under international law.” She said Putin’s visit “hurts the feelings of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable.” Japan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador to lodge a protest.
Putin toured a fish-processing complex on Iturup and also visited a hospital and a school. It was his first trip while in power to territory claimed by Japan.
Japan and Russia have still not signed a formal peace treaty following World War II because of the territorial dispute over the islands.
