FOCUS: Japan Has Few Cards to Play 1 Month after Putin's Isle Visit
Tokyo, Sept. 13 (Jiji Press)--Japan has been unable to take concrete countermeasures since Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a disputed northwestern Pacific island a month ago. Japan has lodged a strong protest following Putin's Aug. 13 visit to the island of Etorofu, one of the four islands claimed by Tokyo but controlled by Moscow. The four islands, seized by the former Soviet Unio...
One month after Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to a disputed island, Japan finds itself with limited options for retaliation. The country lodged a strong protest following Putin's August 13th trip to Etorofu, one of the four islands claimed by Japan but controlled by Russia. These islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, were seized by the Soviet Union from Japan at the end of World War II.
Despite this, Japan has struggled to devise a stronger response, as it relies on stable oil and natural gas imports from Russia following the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Imposing additional sanctions could further strain relations between the two nations, according to a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed hope that Japan could use this opportunity to strengthen its stance with Russia during a press conference on Friday.
Written by urgent.news from Nippon.com News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
