Japan protests Putin visit to disputed islands

What the report says

Japan has formally objected after Russian President Vladimir Putin made what Russian state media described as his first visit to the Kuril islands, a disputed chain between Russia and northern Japan. The reported trip took place on Thursday on Iturup, known in Japan as Etorofu, one of four southern islands claimed by both countries. Japan’s foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, said the territory is Japanese and called the visit unacceptable.

The islands have been a longstanding source of tension between Moscow and Tokyo and are one reason the two countries never concluded a peace treaty after World War Two. Japan refers to the islands as the Northern Territories, while Russia administers them. The dispute dates back to the Soviet annexation of the chain at the end of the war, when many Japanese residents were removed.

According to Russian state media, Putin met local residents and sampled fish roe during the visit. The islands also have military significance for Russia, and Iturup hosts a key air base in the region. The BBC report noted that the trip comes after recent Russian and Chinese naval activity near the islands and Russian military drills there last year, both of which drew criticism from Japan.