Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to the disputed Kuril Islands has prompted renewed tension between Russia and Japan. The Japanese government officially lodged a “strong protest” regarding the Russian leader’s stay. According to Russian state media, Putin traveled to the archipelago, which both Russia and Japan claim. Japan’s Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, stated on platform X that the islands are “historically and internationally Japanese sovereign territory,” and consequently, the Tokyo government firmly protested the visit. The territorial dispute over the Kurils has strained the relationship between the two countries for decades. Furthermore, this conflict was the primary reason why Moscow and Tokyo never signed a peace treaty after the end of the Second World War. The specific island Putin visited on Thursday is Iturup, which Japan refers to as Etorofu.
Politics
