Kathrine Frich
Japan claims the islands as its own territory.
Decades of diplomatic tug-of-war define this remote island chain.
For the small communities living there, global politics rarely interrupts the daily routine of fishing and freezing winters.
Now, a rare arrival has put the disputed territory back on the map.
First island tour
Russian President Vladimir Putin has set foot on the Kuril Island of Iturup. The Kremlin press service announced the historic trip, marking his very first visit to the contested territory.
He kept busy during the stay. The president toured a fish processing plant, a district hospital and a school.
Local officials painted a picture of patriotic support among the islanders. Sakhalin Region Governor Valery Limarenko told Putin that even in isolated spots, “the people say: ‘Everything is for victory.'”
Putin responded by praising the character of the residents. “That’s what our people are like. The genetic code of a winner,” he said, as quoted by TASS and Meduza.
A swift reaction
The visit did not go unnoticed across the sea. According to Kyodo News, the Japanese Foreign Ministry quickly issued a “strong protest” regarding the trip.
Japan claims the islands as its own territory. The dispute goes back to the end of World War II, when the Soviet Union annexed the chain.
Before the visit, Putin addressed the diplomatic breakdown during Pacific Fleet exercises. He claimed Russia once enjoyed a productive dialogue with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
But according to Putin, Tokyo has since shifted its stance.
Shifting the blame
A 1956 peace declaration originally laid the groundwork for resolving the dispute. Back then, the Soviet Union promised to return two islands if both sides signed a formal treaty.
Japanese authorities later demanded the return of all the islands, so a final treaty never materialized. Putin argued that Moscow had always tried to accommodate Japan.
“Now we see, unfortunately, changes in positions, which, I emphasize, were not provoked in any way on our part,” Putin stated.
Things shifted dramatically after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. Japan joined Western nations in applying sanctions, prompting Russian officials to abandon the peace negotiations.
Hardening the rhetoric
Since that diplomatic collapse, Japan has stepped up its own response. For the first time since 2003, Tokyo officially calls the Kuril Islands an illegally occupied territory.
While Putin had never visited before, other Russian officials have made the journey. Former President Dmitry Medvedev traveled there in 2010, and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin toured in 2021.
Any hope of a territorial compromise now seems out of reach.
Sources: Meduza, TASS, Kyodo News
