Japan ‘discussing how to respond’ to Putin’s disputed island visit

Japan is evaluating its response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Northern Territories, a cluster of Russian-controlled islands off the eastern coast of Hokkaido that Japan also claims. Possibilities range from escalating economic sanctions against Russia to temporarily recalling Japan's ambassador to Moscow. Japan, which imports around 10% of its liquefied natural gas from Russia, must exercise caution, as energy security is a critical concern.

Foreign Ministry officials discussed potential responses on Friday, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressing strong disapproval of the visit, deeming it "incompatible with Japan's consistent position and absolutely unacceptable." Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to lodge a formal protest.

The islands were forcibly taken from Japan by the Soviet Union at the war's end and have been a point of contention since. In 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to another island in the disputed chain prompted Japan to recall its ambassador. Opposition Democratic Party leader Yuichiro Tamaki called for Japan to recall its ambassador in response to Putin's latest trip.

Japan has tightened sanctions against Russia since the country's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including asset freezes and bans on dual-use exports. The government is open to further restrictions. However, Japan remains reliant on Russian energy, particularly the Sakhalin-2 natural gas and oil project, which provides a significant portion of its LNG supply.