Tensions have flared anew between Japan and Russia over President Vladimir Putin’s controversial visit to the Kuril Islands. Japan has reacted sharply in protest of Putin’s visit, while Moscow has summoned Japan’s ambassador in response.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called Putin’s visit “completely unacceptable.” Japan claims the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain as its own territory, while Russia maintains they are part of its own Kuril Islands.
The dispute between Russia and Japan dates back to the final phase of World War II, when the Soviet Union seized the four islands near Japan. In Japan, they are known as the “Northern Territories,” while Russia considers them part of the Kuril Islands.
The disputed islands matter for more than historical and political reasons. The surrounding waters hold rich fishing grounds and potential mineral resources. The islands’ location is also strategically vital for Russia, sitting between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean, and playing an important role in the movement of Russia’s Pacific fleet.
Putin’s visit is being viewed as especially significant, marking the first time he has visited the islands during his long tenure in power. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had visited the islands several times before.
Analysts say relations between the two countries were already strained by Japan’s sanctions on Russia following the war in Ukraine. Putin’s visit to the Kurils has now brought the long-standing territorial dispute back to the fore. As a result, this more than 150-year-old island dispute has once again become a major obstacle in Japan-Russia relations.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report