Recently, Russian president Vladmir Putin paid a visit to Iturup, one of the islands in the Asia pacific region. But his sudden visit has ignited backlash from Japan, which claims sovereignty over the territory, with Sanae Takaichi calling it ‘absolutely unacceptable’.
Japan Russia Conflict: Sanae Takaichi’s Statement
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently slammed the visit of Russian president Vladimir Putin to Iturup, which is one of the islands in the Kuril chain of the Asia Pacific region.
“This visit… by the sitting Russian president goes against Japan’s consistent position on the Northern Territories,” Takaichi told reporters, using the Japanese name for the islands, saying Putin’s trip “offends the sentiments of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable.” she said. Japan has often referred to the Kuril islands as the Northern territories.
Japan Russia Conflict: Putin’s Recent Visit
Russian president Vladimir Putin visited Itrup island on August 13, 2026.He visited a fish-processing plant and was given caviar. Putin travelled to the Kurils after visiting the nearby Russian island of Sakhalin on Wednesday, where Russia’s navy was conducting drills. Some reports suggest that he also visited a hospital and a school.
Japan Russia Conflict: About Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands are a chain of islands stretching between Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. The current dispute centres on four southern islands — Iturup (Etorofu), Kunashir (Kunashiri), Shikotan and the Habomai Islands — which Japan calls the Northern Territories and considers its inherent territory. Russia has controlled the islands since the Soviet Union took control of them in 1945.
Why Did Putin’s Visit Cause Controversy?
You might be wondering – Why is Putin’s visit so controversial. Japan-Russia bilateral relations have already deteriorated sharply following Tokyo’s sanctions against Moscow over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Putin recently described those sanctions as ‘unreasonable’ and said that “Japan has identified Russia as a main source of threats. I would like to point out that we are not threatening Japan… On the contrary it has territorial claims against our country,”
But the ongoing row between Tokyo and Moscow is due to a longstanding territorial dispute. Japan has claimed sovereignty over the islands. And foreign minister Toshimetsu Motegi reaffirmed the same, stating that “The Northern Territories… are an inherent part of Japan’s territory both historically and under international law, and the government of Japan strongly protests this visit,” . He also lodged a formal protest over Putin’s visit.
Russia has also tried to claim sovereignty over the islands. The recent visit publicly reinforces Russia’s control and sovereignty claim over territory that Tokyo continues to demand back. And it doesn’t help that Russia maintains close ties with China and North Korea.
