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Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed island of Iturup on Thursday, triggering a sharp diplomatic protest from Japan amid longstanding tensions over the Kuril Islands.
Known as Iturup in Russia and Etorofu in Japan, the island is among four territories seized by the Soviet Union following Japan's surrender in World War Two. Tokyo continues to claim the islands and has made their return a key condition for signing a formal peace treaty with Moscow.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi condemned Putin's visit as "absolutely unacceptable," saying it had hurt the feelings of the Japanese people. Japan's Foreign Ministry also summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolai Nozdrev to formally protest the trip.
Russia quickly rejected Tokyo's criticism. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Iturup and the wider Kuril chain were legally part of Russia and accused Japanese officials of attempting to dictate where the Russian president could travel.
The Russian embassy in Tokyo echoed that position, saying Putin's domestic travel decisions were solely a matter for Moscow.
During the visit, Putin toured a school, hospital and fish-processing facility. Russian state news agency TASS described it as his first trip to the disputed island chain. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian leader to visit the territory in 2010.
The trip comes amid already strained Russia-Japan relations following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Japan joined Western and other countries in imposing sanctions on Russia over the war.
Putin's visit also occurred shortly before Japan marks 81 years since its World War Two surrender and amid heightened regional security concerns following a North Korean missile launch.
Earlier Thursday, the Russian and Chinese ambassadors to Japan issued a joint statement opposing attempts to revise the outcome of World War Two and warning against re-militarisation in the Asia-Pacific.
Medvedev later reinforced Moscow's position, declaring on X that the disputed Kuril Islands "were, are, and will remain Russian land."
