Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first-ever visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, describing the trip as “absolutely unacceptable” and warning that it has further damaged already strained bilateral relations.
Putin traveled to Iturup (known in Japan as Etorofu), one of the four southernmost islands in the chain claimed by both countries, on August 13, 2026.
Russian state media showed him touring a fish-processing plant (where he sampled caviar/fish roe), a hospital, and a school, as well as meeting local residents and Sakhalin regional Governor Valery Limarenko.
The visit followed his observation of Pacific Fleet naval drills on nearby Sakhalin Island. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, Takaichi stated that the islands — referred to by Japan as the Northern Territories — are “an inherent part of Japan’s territory both historically and under international law.”
She said the visit by a sitting Russian president “wounds the feelings of the Japanese people,” is “incompatible with Japan’s consistent position on the Northern Territories,” and has “further hardened anti-Russian sentiment in Japan,” making medium- to long-term recovery of relations more difficult. “I hope that the Russian side will take the gravity of this matter very seriously,” she added. Japan had repeatedly urged Moscow not to proceed with a presidential visit.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to lodge a strong formal protest, emphasizing that the visit would have an “extremely negative impact” on bilateral ties.
Tokyo is considering possible countermeasures, including potential strengthening of existing sanctions related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Background on the dispute
The four islands (Etorofu/Iturup, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group) were seized by the Soviet Union in the closing days of World War II after Japan’s surrender. Japan has never recognized the annexation, and the territorial dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty ending wartime hostilities. Approximately 17,000 Japanese residents were deported at the time.
Russia administers the islands, which hold strategic military value (including a base on Iturup), rich fishing grounds, and mineral resources. Previous high-level Russian visits, such as then-President Dmitry Medvedev’s in 2010, also drew Japanese protests. Relations deteriorated sharply after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which prompted Japanese sanctions.
Russian officials rejected Japan’s criticism. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Tokyo’s statements “absolutely unacceptable” and said the islands are an integral part of Russia.
The visit occurred two days before Japan’s annual marking of the end of World War II and amid heightened regional tensions, including North Korean missile activity and ongoing Japan-Russia friction over military posture.
The United States has expressed support for Japan’s position on the Northern Territories. Takaichi’s government has indicated it will carefully review related issues, such as possible resumption of limited visits by former Japanese residents to ancestral graves on the islands.
