Putin Touches Down on Disputed Iturup
Russian President Vladimir Putin landed on the island of Iturup in the Kuril archipelago. It marks his first personal visit to the disputed territory claimed by both Russia and Japan, according to reports by the Russian state agency TASS and Reuters.
The trip immediately prompted Tokyo to summon the Russian ambassador and issue sharp diplomatic protests. These islands remain the central barrier to a post-World War II peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo.
Tuna, Fish Plants, and Moscow’s Grip
Putin arrived on Iturup—the largest of the southern Kuril Islands—following a Pacific Fleet naval exercise and a stop on the island of Sakhalin.
Footage broadcast by Russian television station Vesti showed the leader touring the “Yasny” fish processing plant in a dark suit, according to Novinky.cz. He examined two large tuna and a halibut on a table while local officials discussed migration patterns and the regional fishing industry, as noted by Reuters and Novinky.cz.
“The current status of the Kuril Islands is enshrined in international documents as a reality that arose as a result of the results of the second world war. But even in this case, Russia was prepared to search for a solution with the aim of concluding a peace treaty with Japan,” Putin said, according to the Associated Press.
He added that bilateral relations deteriorated after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when Japan imposed sanctions on Russia and classified it as a main threat.
Tokyo Summons Ambassador and Condemns Trip
The Japanese government reacted swiftly, condemning the journey as entirely unacceptable.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi posted a strong statement on the social media platform X. He declared that the Northern Territories—including Iturup—are an integral Japanese territory both from a historical perspective and under international law, and the Japanese government strongly protests this visit, according to the sources. Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolai Nozdrhev immediately to lodge a formal protest.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaičiová stated that Putin’s journey is contrary to Japan’s position on the Northern Territories and is completely unacceptable, and she also considers the visit another blow to already strained relations between the two countries, the Associated Press reported.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and a former president, quickly dismissed the prime minister’s reaction, stating that “this chatter will change nothing” and that the Kurils “were, are and will remain Russian territory, and anyone who does not understand this will face the terrible consequences of their delusion”, according to the AP.
A Century-Old Stalemate
The disagreements regarding the southern part of the Kuril Islands—Kunašir, Iturup, Šikotan, and the Habomai islet, which lie closest to Japan—represent the main obstacle to concluding a peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo since the end of the Second World War. Soviet soldiers occupied this territory after the Japanese capitulation in 1945, and the archipelago thus became part of the then Soviet Union.
Because the sovereignty question remains unresolved, Moscow and Tokyo have never signed a formal post-war peace treaty.
According to the Japanese news agency Kyodo, it is evident that Putin wants to show observers at home and abroad through this step that Russia does not intend to make any territorial concessions—not even to Japan, which demands the return of the disputed islands. With Japanese sanctions making the prospects for resuming negotiations between Moscow and Tokyo on signing a peace treaty slim, Kyodo noted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the Kuril Islands disputed between Russia and Japan?
Soviet forces occupied the islands after Japan’s surrender in 1945, and the archipelago became part of the Soviet Union. Tokyo claims its southern part as its Northern Territory, while Moscow maintains that it is an inseparable and legitimate part of the Russian Federation and that the Japanese position calls into question the results of the Second World War.
How did Japan react to Putin’s visit to Iturup?
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolai Nozdrhev to deliver a strong protest, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaičiová called the visit contrary to Japan’s position on the Northern Territories, completely unacceptable, and another blow to strained relations.
Have previous Russian leaders visited the Kuril Islands?
According to regional records, Russian heads of state had previously visited the Kurils five times in total, including four trips by Dmitry Medvedev, making Putin’s journey his first personal visit to the archipelago.
Related reading