Putin Touches Japan's Most Sensitive Point: Moscow and Tokyo in Collision
The Russian president's visit to Iturup, one of the four islands Tokyo demands be returned, sparked an exchange of protests between the countries. Japan criticized the move, Moscow summoned the ambassador, and Sergey Lavrov accused Tokyo of having "crossed the line of good taste."
The diplomatic conflict between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands intensified on Tuesday after the Foreign Ministry in Moscow announced that it had expressed a sharp protest to the Japanese ambassador to Russia following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding the visit of President Vladimir Putin to the island of Iturup, over which Japan also claims sovereignty.
The crisis began after Putin visited Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu, on August 13. Takaichi defined the visit as "completely unacceptable" and said it "hurts the feelings of the Japanese people." According to her, the four disputed islands are "historically and legally Japanese territories." Following the visit, Tokyo summoned the Russian ambassador to Japan and filed an official protest.
Vladimir Putin speaking: "Almost the entire military potential of NATO is being used against Russia," photo: Reuters
Moscow responded sharply. The Russian Foreign Ministry had already defined Takaichi's words last week as "insulting" and "devoid of any legal validity," and claimed that Japanese officials allow themselves "to dictate to Moscow in which regions of its country its leader is allowed or not allowed to visit." Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reiterated the Russian position that all the Kuril Islands are an inseparable part of Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sharpened the tone and said that Tokyo "crossed the line of good taste" when it claimed that the Russian president is not allowed to visit Iturup. Following these remarks, the Japanese ambassador in Moscow, Akira Muto, was summoned.
The territorial dispute has been ongoing since the end of World War II. The Soviet Union took control of Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai islands in 1945. Japan calls them the "Northern Territories" and demands their return. The dispute has prevented Moscow and Tokyo to this day from signing an official peace treaty that would formally end the state of war between them. Relations have deteriorated even further since Japan joined the Western sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.
