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Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to the remote Iturup/Etorofu Island on Thursday, marking his first official visit to the disputed territory. The visit comes as a reminder of the long-standing territorial dispute between Russia and Japan, which has prevented the two nations from signing a formal World War II peace treaty.
The island, known by the Russian name Iturup and the Japanese name Etorofu, has been at the center of tensions between the two nations for decades. Putin’s visit has sparked an immediate reaction from Japan, with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi condemning the move as a breach of international law.
“This is Japan’s inherent territory, both historically and based on international law,” Motegi said in a statement, reiterating Japan’s long-standing claim to the Northern Territories, which include Etorofu. The Foreign Minister called on Russia to respect Japan’s sovereignty over the island and the other disputed territories.
The visit has highlighted the ongoing stalemate in negotiations between Russia and Japan over the territorial dispute. The two nations have been trying to resolve the issue for decades, but so far, no agreement has been reached. Putin’s visit to Etorofu Island is seen as a demonstration of Russia’s resolve to maintain its control over the territory, despite Japan’s protests.
Etorofu Island is part of the Kuril Islands, a chain of islands that stretch from Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula to the northern tip of Japan’s Hokkaido Island. The islands were seized by the Soviet Union after Japan’s defeat in World War II and have remained under Russian control ever since.
The dispute has prevented Russia and Japan from signing a formal peace treaty, which would formally end the state of war between the two nations and recognize their current borders. In the absence of a treaty, the two nations have maintained diplomatic relations but have not formally recognized each other’s sovereignty over the disputed territories.
Putin’s visit to Etorofu Island is unlikely to resolve the dispute, but it has raised tensions between Russia and Japan. The move has sparked an immediate reaction from Tokyo, and it remains to be seen how Japan will respond to the situation.