Takaichi Protests Putin's Visit to Kuril Islands: "Inherently Japanese Territory"

Japan Protests Putin's Visit to Kuril Islands... "Firm Response Promised"

Russia Signals Determination Not to Compromise on Territorial Dispute

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

On August 13, the Japanese government strongly protested after Russian President Vladimir Putin made an unprecedented visit to the Kuril Islands, a region disputed with Japan over sovereignty.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated at a press conference held at the Prime Minister's office that day, "The Northern Territories are inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law, and we strongly lodge our protest regarding this visit by President Putin to the Kuril Islands."

She further explained, "Since President Putin expressed his intention to visit the Northern Territories in 2024, the Japanese government asked him to refrain from visiting; however, these requests were ignored. We urge Russia to take the seriousness of this situation to heart, and we will thoroughly consider our future response toward Russia."

Japan refers to four islands located north of Hokkaido and at the southern tip of Russia's Kuril Islands—Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan, and Habomai—as the Northern Territories, and has long been locked in a territorial dispute with Russia over them.

According to Russian state news agency TASS and AFP, President Putin, who is currently touring Siberia and the Far East, visited the Kuril Islands on this day, inspected the flagship of the Russian Pacific Fleet, and received a report on military training. He also held a meeting with Valery Limarenko, Governor of Sakhalin, and subsequently visited a seafood processing plant, a hospital, and a school on Etorofu Island.

The Yomiuri Shimbun interpreted Putin's visit as an effort to demonstrate Russia's unwillingness to compromise on territorial disputes, while the country is engaged in a war with Ukraine that has lasted nearly four and a half years.

The Kuril Islands currently have a population of only about 20,000, but are rich in mineral resources such as gold and silver, as well as abundant fisheries in the surrounding waters. After the Soviet Union, the predecessor to Russia, occupied the area at the end of World War II in 1945, it expelled Japanese residents and stationed military forces there.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.