Putin’s First Kuril Visit Puts Russia-Japan Territorial Dispute Back in Focus
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands has triggered a strong diplomatic response from Japan, adding fresh tension to already strained relations between Moscow and Tokyo.
Putin travelled to Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu, on Thursday, August 13, marking his first known visit to the Russian-controlled island chain.
The trip included visits to local facilities and meetings with residents, underscoring Moscow’s assertion of sovereignty over territory that Japan continues to claim as its own.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi condemned the visit as unacceptable and said it had further damaged public sentiment towards Russia.
Tokyo maintains that Iturup and three other southern islands—Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai Islands—form part of Japan’s Northern Territories and belong to Japan on historical and legal grounds.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also lodged a strong protest, reaffirming Tokyo’s longstanding position on the disputed territory.
The Japanese government has repeatedly objected to visits by senior Russian officials to the islands, including former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and former Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
The dispute dates back to the final days of the Second World War, when Soviet forces seized the islands. Japan says the four southernmost territories were unlawfully occupied, while Russia maintains that its sovereignty over the islands was established as part of the post-war settlement. The competing claims have prevented Moscow and Tokyo from resolving the territorial question and have contributed to the absence of a formal post-war peace treaty between the two countries.
The Kuril chain stretches between Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, occupying a strategically important position in the North Pacific. Beyond their symbolic importance, the islands have significant military and economic value, including access to surrounding waters and important maritime routes.
Russia has steadily strengthened its military infrastructure across the Kurils in recent years, including the deployment of coastal defence systems and other military assets. The islands also sit near key approaches to the Sea of Okhotsk, giving them considerable strategic importance for Russia’s Pacific Fleet.
The latest confrontation comes at a particularly difficult moment for bilateral relations. Japan joined Western-led sanctions against Russia following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Moscow subsequently suspended or abandoned several diplomatic and economic initiatives with Tokyo.
Putin’s visit therefore carries significance far beyond a presidential tour. By physically appearing on Iturup, Moscow is once again demonstrating its control over territory that Tokyo regards as its own, while Japan’s immediate protest signals that the longstanding territorial dispute remains deeply sensitive.
The episode could further complicate any future attempt to repair relations between the two countries. For now, the Kuril Islands remain one of the most enduring territorial disputes in East Asia—and a powerful reminder that the unresolved legacy of the Second World War continues to shape geopolitics nearly eight decades later.
