Japan PM says Putin’s visit to disputed islands ‘absolutely unacceptable’

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril islands as "absolutely unacceptable". The Russian leader's trip to Iturup, one of the four islands claimed by both Russia and Japan, has exacerbated Japanese sentiment towards Russia, Takaichi said. The Kuril islands have been a point of contention for decades, preventing Japan and Russia from signing a peace treaty following World War Two.

The islands, located between Hokkaido and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, are split between Japanese and Russian control. In 1945, the Soviet Union annexed the islands and forcibly relocated about 17,000 Japanese residents. During his visit, Putin participated in local activities and sampled local food. Earlier, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi called the islands "inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law" and strongly protested the visit.

Despite efforts to resolve the dispute, progress has been negligible, and bilateral relations remain strained due to Japan's sanctions on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russia has recently increased its military presence on the islands, and last month, Chinese and Russian naval vessels conducted a joint patrol in the region. Additionally, regular military exercises near the islands have drawn criticism from Japan.