Russia Summons Japan’s Ambassador as Kuril Islands Dispute Escalates
Moscow formally protested Japanese leaders’ criticism of Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup, escalating an eight-decade territorial dispute now sharpened by Japan’s support for Ukraine.
Russia protests Japan PM’s comments after Putin’s Kuril visit
Russia protests to Japanese ambassador over Takaichi's 'anti-Russian' remarks
Russia protests Japan over disputed Kuril islands
Russia Summons Japanese Ambassador as Dispute Over Kuril Islands Flares Up
Russia protests to Japanese ambassador over Takaichi’s ‘anti-Russian’ remarks
A diplomatic answer to Tokyo’s protest
Russia called Japanese Ambassador Akira Muto to its Foreign Ministry on Tuesday and lodged a formal protest over comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Moscow branded their statements “anti-Russian” after Takaichi described President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup last week as “absolutely unacceptable.”reuters +1 Muto spent about 20 minutes in the ministry and left without speaking to reporters.themoscowtimes
Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told Muto that Russian sovereignty over the southern Kurils was “indisputable.” The Japanese Embassy said Muto explained Tokyo’s position on the islands and Putin’s visit, but disclosed no details of his response to Moscow’s territorial claim.asahi
Four islands and an unfinished war
Russia controls the four southernmost islands, which it calls the Southern Kurils; Japan claims them as its Northern Territories. The Soviet Union seized the islands in the closing days of World War II, and the unresolved dispute has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a formal peace treaty.aljazeera +1 Iturup is known in Japan as Etorofu and lies in the chain north of Hokkaido.themoscowtimes
Takaichi said Putin’s trip hurt Japanese public sentiment and made any medium- to long-term restoration of relations more difficult. Motegi argued that the Northern Territories are inherently Japanese under history and international law, while Russia said their transfer after World War II was secured by Allied agreements and the United Nations Charter.anewz +1
Ukraine turns an old dispute into a wider warning
The exchange is sharper because the territorial argument now overlaps with the war in Ukraine. Japan joined other Group of Seven countries in sanctioning Russia after the 2022 full-scale invasion and has provided financial and non-lethal defence assistance to Kyiv.aljazeera Moscow told Muto it reserved the right to take “appropriate countermeasures” over Japan’s sanctions and support for Ukraine, but did not specify what those measures might be.reuters +1
The immediate risk is further diplomatic retaliation rather than a breakthrough over the islands. Russia has reinforced its military presence in the Kurils, while decades of negotiations have yielded no settlement.asahi The latest summons also completes a cycle of reciprocal protests: Tokyo called in Russia’s ambassador after Putin’s visit, and Moscow has now answered by calling in Japan’s envoy.aljazeera +1