The short version
- Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed islands marks only the second time a Russian leader has set foot there, signaling a hardening of Moscow’s stance.
- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi condemned the move as unacceptable, leading to immediate diplomatic expulsions and summonings between the two capitals.
- The incident underscores the strategic value of the islands for Pacific naval access and resource rights, complicating any future rapprochement.
Diplomatic tensions between Japan and Russia have intensified sharply following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to a group of disputed islands in the North Pacific. The incident has triggered a formal protest from Tokyo, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi labeling the trip as entirely unacceptable. In response, Moscow summoned the Japanese ambassador to discuss the matter, while Japan recalled its own envoy for consultations and summoned the Russian ambassador for a stern reprimand.
The controversy centers on four southern islands in the Kuril archipelago, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories. These islands were seized by Soviet forces during the final days of World War II, preventing the two nations from signing a formal peace treaty to end the conflict. While Russia considers them an integral part of its sovereign territory, Japan maintains that they belong to it based on historical treaties and administrative control prior to 1945.
Putin’s presence on the islands carries significant symbolic weight, as he is only the second Russian leader to visit the region since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Former President Dmitry Medvedev visited the area multiple times between 2010 and 2015, but Putin had previously avoided setting foot there despite holding power for over two decades. This shift suggests a deliberate move to reinforce Russia’s claim amid deteriorating bilateral relations.
The dispute has long been a sensitive issue in Japanese domestic politics, particularly among nationalist groups that regularly protest outside the Russian embassy in Tokyo. Prime Minister Takaichi, known for her hawkish foreign policy views, faces pressure to maintain a firm stance against Moscow. Her administration has already imposed sanctions on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, further straining ties and reducing the likelihood of diplomatic breakthroughs.
Strategic interests play a crucial role in both nations’ positions. The islands provide Russia with year-round access to the Pacific Ocean for its naval fleet based in Vladivostok, as the strait between the southern islands remains ice-free during winter months. Additionally, the region offers valuable fishing grounds and potential mineral deposits, which Japan previously accessed through paid agreements with Russia until those arrangements collapsed in 2022.
Historical context adds complexity to the current standoff. The Kuril Islands were originally inhabited by the Ainu people, whose territory spanned the archipelago, Sakhalin, and Hokkaido. In 1855, Japan and Russia signed a treaty recognizing Japanese sovereignty over the four disputed islands. A subsequent agreement in 1875 exchanged the entire Kuril chain for Russian control of Sakhalin. However, after World War II, Japan renounced claims to the Kurils in the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, though it argued that the four southernmost islands were not included in this renunciation.
Efforts to resolve the dispute appeared to gain momentum in the 2010s under former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian leadership at the time. However, progress stalled after Russia deployed anti-air missile systems on the islands in 2020 and when then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga visited the region in 2021. Recent revelations of a Russian espionage network operating within Japan have further eroded trust between the two governments.
Looking ahead, the immediate diplomatic fallout is expected to persist, with both sides unlikely to engage in meaningful negotiations in the near term. The hardening of positions reflects broader geopolitical shifts, including Russia’s alignment with other nations opposing Western sanctions and Japan’s deepening security cooperation with the United States. Without a change in either country’s strategic calculus, the status quo regarding the Northern Territories is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian US↗The Kuril Islands: how a visit from Putin reignited a 150-year-old dispute between Japan and Russia
