Territorial Rift Deepens After Putin Tours Disputed Pacific Outpost

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed on Iturup Island on Thursday, marking his first-ever visit to the disputed Kuril chain during his more than 25 years in power.

The presidential tour included inspections of a fish-processing plant, a local hospital, and a secondary school.

Putin also conducted talks with Sakhalin Region Governor Valery Limarenko and spoke directly with local residents.

The historic inspection immediately drew a harsh response from Tokyo, which asserts territorial claims over the four southernmost islands of the volcanic chain, referring to them as the Northern Territories.

Diplomatic Friction Between Moscow and Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the visit "absolutely unacceptable" and warned it would further damage bilateral relations.

"We must say this visit has further hardened Japanese public sentiment toward Russia and has made it more difficult to restore bilateral relations in the medium to long term," Takaichi stated.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to lodge a formal diplomatic protest over the trip.

"The Northern Territories, including Etorofu (Iturup) Island, are Japan’s inherent territory both historically and from the perspective of international law," Motegi declared.

The Russian Embassy in Tokyo dismissed the protest as unfounded, stating that the southern Kuril Islands became an integral part of Russia on legitimate international grounds following World War II.

Strategic Context of The Islands

The territorial disagreement over the four islands of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai islets, has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a formal World War II peace treaty.

The Soviet Union occupied the islands in the final days of the war, expelling roughly 17,000 Japanese residents.

While Japan cites the 1855 Treaty of Shimoda to defend its claim, Russia maintains that international agreements finalized post-WWII settled its sovereignty over the chain.

Prior to arriving on Iturup, Putin observed Russian Pacific Fleet naval exercises on nearby Sakhalin Island from aboard a warship.

Addressing naval personnel, Putin stated that the status of the Kurils "is enshrined in international documents as a reality that arose following the outcome of World War II," while noting that previous progress toward a peace agreement stalled after Tokyo implemented sanctions following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Responding to Japanese condemnation, Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev posted on X that the Kurils "were, are, and will remain Russian land," adding that "this chatter won't change a thing."