Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the disputed Kuril Islands for the first time, travelling to Iturup as Moscow’s relations with Japan remain deeply strained over Russia’s war in Ukraine.The visit, reported by Russian state media on Thursday, comes after Putin oversaw military exercises involving Russia’s Pacific Fleet in the country’s Far East.It also comes a day after North Korea, a close Russian ally, fired a ballistic missile towards waters off the Korean Peninsula.Putin’s trip to Iturup is significant because the island is among four southern Kuril Islands that Japan claims as its own territory and calls the Northern Territories.
Putin visits Iturup, inspects local industry
According to Reuters, Putin visited the Yasny fish-processing plant on Iturup and was shown local fishing operations. Russian television footage showed him examining large tuna and halibut and sampling fish roe.The Russian president also interacted with residents.“What lovely weather you have there, just like a resort!” Putin told a group of locals.The visit followed Putin’s inspection of the Pacific Fleet’s flagship missile cruiser Varyag during military exercises in Russia’s Far East.Russian state news agency TASS described the Iturup trip as Putin’s first personal visit to the Kuril island chain.Putin had previously visited Sakhalin but had not personally travelled to the disputed islands.
Why the Kuril Islands are disputed
The dispute dates back to the final days of World War II, when Soviet forces seized the Kuril Islands after the Soviet Union declared war on Japan in August 1945.The four islands at the centre of the dispute are Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai islets. Japan refers to them as Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai Islands and maintains that they are Japanese territory.The Soviet Union retained control of the islands after the war, and Russia has maintained a military presence there.The islands are strategically important because of their location between the Russian Far East and northern Japan. They also have rich fishing grounds and deposits of minerals, including gold and silver.Around 20,000 people currently live on the islands under Russian administration, while Japan says its former residents were displaced following the Soviet takeover. Around 17,000 Japanese residents were deported after the islands were occupied in 1945.
Japan protests Putin’s visit
Putin’s visit has drawn a strong reaction from Tokyo.Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi protested the visit, reiterating Japan’s claim over the islands.“The northern territories, including Etorofu, are Japan’s inherent territory both historically and based on international law,” Motegi said, according to Reuters.“Japan strongly protests this visit.”The territorial dispute has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a formal peace treaty formally ending their World War II conflict.There have been several attempts to resolve the dispute over the decades. In 1956, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev suggested that two of the disputed islands could be returned to Japan as part of a peace settlement, although no final agreement followed.Negotiations resumed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but the territorial dispute remained unresolved.
Ukraine war deepens Russia-Japan tensions
The long-running dispute has become more difficult to resolve since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.Japan joined Western countries in imposing sanctions on Moscow and has strongly supported Ukraine. In response, Russia suspended peace treaty negotiations with Japan and halted several forms of economic cooperation relating to the disputed islands.Moscow has also accused Tokyo of adopting an increasingly hostile position towards Russia.Putin used his address to Pacific Fleet personnel on Wednesday to criticise Japan’s sanctions and its continuing territorial claims. He said Russia had previously maintained constructive relations with Tokyo over the issue during the administration of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but claimed Japan had since changed its position.He noted that Japan’s current territorial claims came despite what he described as the post-World War II territorial arrangements being reflected in international documents.Putin also recalled the 1956 Soviet-Japanese declaration, which restored diplomatic relations and opened the way towards a possible peace treaty and a settlement of the island dispute. He claimed that Tokyo later refused to abide by the declaration.Russia has increasingly strengthened its military presence and activities in its Far Eastern territories as tensions with Japan have risen.
Visit comes amid wider military tensions in the region
Putin’s Kuril Islands trip also comes against a backdrop of increased military activity in the Asia-Pacific region.The Russian president had travelled to the Far East to oversee the final stage of large-scale Pacific Fleet exercises, which began on August 4.Putin said the exercises were necessary to maintain military readiness and protect Russia’s interests and security in the Asia-Pacific region. He also accused NATO of seeking to increase its presence in the region.Putin warned of rising conflict potential in the Asia-Pacific and Arctic regions, while criticising what he described as plans to deploy new weapons systems in the region.The timing was notable because North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday, just days before major South Korea-US military exercises are scheduled to begin. Moscow and Pyongyang have significantly deepened their military partnership in recent years.
Ukraine battlefield developments add to regional backdrop
Putin’s visit comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues with fighting and long-range strikes intensifying.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had recaptured about 745 sq km of territory this year across parts of the southeastern front, including 26 settlements in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. However, these battlefield claims have not been independently verified.Ukraine has also stepped up attacks deep inside Russian territory, including a major recent strike on Novorossiysk, a key Black Sea port and grain-export hub.The attack reportedly damaged port infrastructure and disrupted operations at major grain terminals.Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, making Novorossiysk strategically important not only for Moscow but also for global agricultural markets.At the same time, Russia has continued missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
No breakthrough in decades-old territorial dispute
For Japan, Putin’s visit is likely to further complicate already strained relations with Moscow.The Kuril Islands remain one of the most enduring territorial disputes left over from World War II.While there have been periods of diplomatic engagement and economic cooperation, neither side has been able to agree on a final settlement.With Russia’s war in Ukraine having pushed Moscow and Tokyo further apart, Putin’s first personal visit to the disputed islands sends a strong political signal that Russia has no immediate intention of softening its position over territory it has controlled since 1945.
