Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup Island, part of the Kuril Islands chain, has reignited the long-standing territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo. Pavel Danilin, an associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, characterized the visit as a clear political response to Japan's claims over the islands.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Danilin stated in an interview with the Vzglyad newspaper that Putin's visit sends a significant message to the international community. The political analyst emphasized that the trip demonstrates that Russia's position on its sovereignty over the islands remains unchanged. "Putin has shown the entire world that these territories are not a subject for negotiation under any circumstances," Danilin noted.
The expert further highlighted that, according to Moscow's stance, the status of the Kuril Islands was determined by the outcomes of World War II and relevant international documents. In recent years, Russia has focused on developing social infrastructure, strengthening human resources, and implementing various investment projects on the islands.
The visit has drawn a sharp reaction from Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian Ambassador to Tokyo, Nikolay Nozdrev, to lodge a formal protest. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reaffirmed that Japan considers Iturup its historical territory, stating that the Russian leader's visit hurts the feelings of the Japanese people and is unacceptable. Meanwhile, Grigory Karasin, head of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of Russia, dismissed Tokyo's protest as a "routine formal step," noting that such objections from Japan have become traditional and repetitive.
The Kuril Islands dispute, often referred to in Japan as the "Northern Territories" issue, remains a primary obstacle to the signing of a formal peace treaty between Russia and Japan following the end of World War II. The islands, which were annexed by the Soviet Union in 1945, continue to be a focal point of geopolitical tension in the Asia-Pacific region.
