Japan protests Putin's visit to disputed Kuril Islands
Japan has lodged a strong protest with Moscow after Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the Kuril Islands, which Tokyo claims as its own territory. The islands remain a long-standing point of dispute between the two countries.
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Japan issued a sharp diplomatic protest to Russia on Thursday over President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands, marking what is reportedly his first trip to the territory that Tokyo considers its own.
A long-running territorial dispute
The Kuril Islands represent one of the most persistent unresolved territorial disputes between Japan and Russia, dating back to the aftermath of World War II. Disagreement over the islands' ownership has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty and continues to periodically strain bilateral relations.
Tokyo's response
Japan reacted swiftly to Putin's visit, delivering a firm protest to Moscow. Through this move, Tokyo once again underscored its position that the islands are sovereign Japanese territory, and that any official Russian presence there is viewed as a challenge to its territorial integrity.
It remains unclear whether Russia will respond to the protest or continue to treat its actions as legitimate, given that the islands have effectively been under Russian control for decades.
