Russia-Japan tensions flare: Putin visits disputed islands, Tokyo protests, summons Russian envoy
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Russia-Japan tensions flare: Putin visits disputed islands, Tokyo protests, summons Russian envoy")
Russia's President Vladimir Putin interacts with local residents on Iturup island, one of four islands in the contested chain known as the Kuril Islands on August 13, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin's first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands in 16 years has triggered strong protests from Japan, with Tokyo warning that the move could further damage already strained Russia-Japan relations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Russia's far eastern Kuril Islands for the first time on Thursday (August 13), prompting strong protests from Japan, which also claims the territory. The long-standing territorial dispute has remained a major source of tension between Russia and Japan. The islands are known as the Northern Territories in Japan and were seized by the Soviet Union in 1945.
The Kremlin released a video showing Putin on one of the Kurils' four main islands. Russian media reported that he visited a fish processing plant and was presented with caviar.
Putin's visit marked the first trip by a Russian president to the islands since Dmitry Medvedev visited them in 2010.
The Soviet Union seized the strategically located volcanic archipelago north of Hokkaido during the final days of World War II and has maintained a military presence there since then.
The disputed islands form part of the volcanic Kuril archipelago, which stretches in a broad arc from Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula towards Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido.
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Japan protests Putin's visit
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi criticised Putin's visit and said it "offends the sentiments of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable."
"The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law," Takaichi told reporters. She added that the visit "made it more difficult to restore relations in the medium to long term."
Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also summoned Russian Ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev on Thursday to lodge a "strong protest" over Putin's visit.
Motegi told the ambassador that Putin's visit would "have an extremely negative impact on Japan-Russia relations", according to a statement from the ministry. Relations between the two countries have already faced pressure following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Japan has joined other G7 countries in imposing sanctions on Russia and providing financial assistance and non-lethal defence aid to Ukraine.
Putin on Wednesday described Japan's sanctions as "unprovoked".
"Japan has identified Russia as a main source of threats. I would like to point out that we are not threatening Japan... On the contrary, it has territorial claims against our country," Putin said.
Russia, China and North Korea deepen Japan's security concerns
Russia and China have also strengthened their ties, with their navies and air forces conducting joint exercises in areas around Japan. The drills have prompted Japanese fighter jets to carry out frequent scrambles.
North Korea, which this month described Japan's military build-up as a "transformation into a war state", has also sent troops and artillery shells to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
Japan's latest defence white paper, issued this month, again highlighted growing security risks from Russia, China and North Korea.
