MOSCOW (AP) 鈥� Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest Tokyo’s condemnation of President to the Kuril Islands, the Moscow-controlled Pacific archipelago that is claimed by both countries.
Last week, Putin visited Iturup, one of the four southernmost islands of the chain, which Japan calls the Northern Territories. The Soviet Union took them from Japan in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.
Japan鈥檚 Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Putin鈥檚 visit, his first to the islands, was 鈥渋ncompatible with the Japanese position on the Northern Territories鈥� and was 鈥渁bsolutely unacceptable.鈥� She said the visit was a further blow to already-strained ties between the two countries over Ukraine, and that Moscow should understand the consequences.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tokyo 鈥渟trongly protests鈥� Putin鈥檚 visit to Iturup, which Japan calls Etorofu, noting that “the Northern Territories, including Etorofu Island, are Japan鈥檚 inherent territory both historically and from the perspective of international law.鈥�
On Tuesday, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin met with Japanese Ambassador Akira Muto to lodge a formal protest over the 鈥渁nti-Russia鈥� statements by Takaichi and Motegi.
鈥淩ussia鈥檚 sovereignty and jurisdiction over the southern Kuril Islands are absolutely unshakable,鈥� Galuzin told Muto, according to the Foreign Ministry.
鈥淭hese territories passed to our country as a result of World War II that was enshrined in the relevant agreements of the Allied Powers and the U.N. Charter,鈥� the ministry said. 鈥淎ny attempts by the Japanese side to directly or indirectly call this obvious reality into question are absolutely unacceptable and unlawful.鈥�
Galuzin told the ambassador that in view of Tokyo’s adherence to Western sanctions against Russia and its support for Ukraine, 鈥淢oscow reserves the right to take appropriate countermeasures.鈥�
The Japanese Embassy said in a statement that Muto, during his approximately 20-minute meeting with Galuzin, 鈥渁ppropriately explained the Japanese position on the Northern Territories and President Putin鈥檚 recent visit.”
It gave no other details, including how Muto responded to Galuzin鈥檚 comment on Russia鈥檚 territorial claim of the islands or if Japan is considering taking a retaliatory step, citing the sensitivity of the issue.
Decades of diplomatic efforts to negotiate a settlement haven鈥檛 produced any visible results. Moscow over the years has also bolstered its in moves that appeared to underscore its firm stance in the dispute.
Speaking last week aboard a Russian warship taking part in the drills in the Pacific, Putin said Moscow previously 鈥渉ad developed constructive relations with a number of Japanese leaders, including the tragically deceased former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who did much to bring Japan and Russia closer together, to align our positions.鈥�
Japan imposed sanctions on Russia after it sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and 鈥渓isted Russia as a source of primary threats,鈥� a change in that constructive relationship, he added.
Russia remains ready 鈥渢o cooperate with all its neighbors, including Japan and other states in the region,鈥� Putin said.
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