Speaking to reporters, Takaichi said the visit has clearly damaged how the Japanese public views Russia. She reaffirmed her country's long-standing position, insisting the islands have historically belonged to Japan and remain so under international law.
A Decades-Old Territorial Dispute
This isn't a new disagreement. Japan and Russia have been at odds over the Kuril islands for decades, and it's actually the central reason the two nations never formally signed a peace treaty following World War Two. Geographically, the islands sit in the waters between Hokkaido, in northern Japan, and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. Japan specifically lays claim to the four southernmost islands in the chain, which it calls the Northern Territories, though Russia currently administers all of them.
The dispute traces back to the end of World War Two, when the Soviet Union took control of the islands and forcibly removed around 17,000 Japanese residents who had been living there. During his visit this week, Putin reportedly tried local fish roe and spoke with residents on the island, according to Russian state media.
Earlier the same day, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi echoed similar concerns, stating that the islands are inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law, and confirmed that Japan's government had lodged a strong protest over the visit.
Relations Remain Strained Amid Ongoing Tensions
Despite repeated diplomatic efforts over the years, little progress has been made toward resolving the dispute, and relations between the two countries have stayed tense. Japan has also imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, adding another layer of strain to an already difficult relationship.
This isn't the first time Japan has objected to a Russian official setting foot on the islands either. Previous visits by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his predecessor, Dmitry Medvedev, both drew similar protests from Tokyo.
Strategically, the Kuril islands hold real significance for Russia, which has steadily increased its military presence there over the past ten years. Iturup, specifically, serves as Russia's main military air base in the region. Tensions in the area have only grown recently, with Chinese and Russian naval vessels sailing through a strait within the island chain last month during a joint patrol. Russia also regularly conducts military exercises near the islands, actions that continue to draw criticism from Japan.
