Russia lodges protest over Takaichi’s ‘anti-Russian’ remarks

MOSCOW: Russian officials summoned Japan's ambassador to Moscow on Tuesday, lodging a strong protest against Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments deemed "anti-Russian" by the Russian government. The dispute arose following Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Southern Kuril Islands, a group of four disputed territories controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan as the Northern Territories.

Takaichi had criticized Putin's visit, stating it "hurts the feelings of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable." Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin conveyed Russia's protest to Japan's envoy, Akira Muto, asserting Moscow's indisputable sovereignty and jurisdiction over the islands. The Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that Russia's sovereignty over the islands is unquestionable, condemning any attempts by Japan to challenge this reality as "unlawful."

The ongoing dispute, which has persisted for eight decades, has hindered Russia and Japan from signing a peace treaty, thereby limiting their potential for closer economic cooperation. Tensions have intensified since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Japan joining other nations in condemning Russia and imposing sanctions.

In response to Japan's involvement in the sanctions and its support for Ukraine, Moscow warned that it reserves the right to take "appropriate countermeasures," but did not specify what those measures might entail.