Russian President Vladimir Putin's historic visit to the Kuril Islands, a region disputed with Japan, has drawn strong protests from Tokyo.
On August 13, local time, Putin visited the Kuril Islands while on a tour of Siberia and the Far East. During his visit, he inspected local seafood processing plants, hospitals, and schools. Prior to his trip to the Kuril Islands, he observed military exercises aboard the Pacific Fleet's missile cruiser Varyag near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Sakhalin Island.
This marks the first time Putin has visited the Kuril Islands. Although Dmitry Medvedev, then Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, visited the area in 2010 during his presidency, Putin had not made a direct visit until now.
The Kuril Islands, home to approximately 20,000 residents, are rich in mineral resources such as gold and silver, as well as abundant marine resources. The Soviet Union, Russia's predecessor, occupied the islands at the end of World War II in 1945, expelling around 17,000 Japanese residents and establishing military control.
Japan refers to four islands in the southern Kurils—Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan, and Habomai—as its Northern Territories, leading to ongoing territorial disputes with Russia.
In response to Putin's visit, Japan immediately lodged a strong protest. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a statement asserting, "The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law, and the Japanese government strongly protests this visit."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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