Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed Kuril Islands for the first time on August 13, 2026, touring a fish-processing plant on Iturup and holding a meeting on securing Russia's eastern borders [6][7][9]. The Kremlin posted video footage of the visit, which prompted protest from Tokyo and drew reactions from across the region [7][8].
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the visit "absolutely unacceptable," stating it wounds the feelings of the Japanese people and is incompatible with Japan's position that the Northern Territories are inherent Japanese territory both historically and under international law [1][4][7]. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolai Nozdrev to lodge a formal protest, declaring that the four northern islands are "inherently Japanese territory both historically and under international law" [4][6][8]. Takaichi said the visit makes restoring bilateral relations in the medium and long term more difficult [8].
Russian officials rejected the protest. Putin stated in Sakhalin that the islands are recognized as Russian in international documents and called Japan's sanctions "unprovoked," saying Russia is not threatening Japan but that Japan has territorial claims against Russian territory [4][7][9]. Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev wrote that the islands "have been, are and will remain Russian territory" and that those who do not understand this will face "monstrous consequences" [2][8]. Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky asserted the islands belong to Russia "by the indisputable right of first discovery, first development, and as a victor in World War II" [8]. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed Japan's claims as groundless and stated the entire Kuril chain is an inseparable part of Russia [10].
US Ambassador to Japan George Glass affirmed that the United States maintains "an unwavering posture" in support of its ally Japan and its recognition of Japanese sovereignty over the Northern Territories, opposing any action that undermines stability in the Indo-Pacific [5].
China aligned with Russia's framing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that "the results of the victory in the world anti-fascist war must be respected and defended," and Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao issued a joint statement with Ambassador Nozdrev opposing any distortion or denial of WWII outcomes [19]. Chinese state media framed the visit as a signal of Russia's firm stance on post-WWII territorial outcomes [18]. Chinese defense ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Chen Xi separately warned against Japanese "neo-militarism" and urged Japan to "reflect on itself, recognize and atone for its crimes, adhere to the post-war international order, and stop its dangerous acts of remilitarization" [3][14].
The territorial dispute unfolded alongside Japanese officials' visits to the Yasukuni Shrine on the 81st anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the shrine in person, while Prime Minister Takaichi sent a ritual offering but did not attend [3][14][21]. South Korean lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties condemned the visits. Democratic Party spokesperson Jeon Su-mi called them "anachronistic provocation" rooted in "twisted patriotism," and People Power Party lawmaker Kim Dae-sik said Japan's leaders should "face the history of its aggression and show true remorse through actions, not words" [11].
For former residents, the dispute carries a personal dimension. Nemuro Mayor Masatoshi Ishigaki said Putin's visit "hurts the feelings of people wishing for the islands' return" and called on the Japanese government to resume peace treaty talks [8]. Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki explained that flyovers near the Northern Territories are planned because the average age of former residents has exceeded 90 [8]. Kin'ya Honma, a second-generation former resident of Etorofu, described mixed feelings — resentment toward Russia for expelling his grandparents, but acknowledgment that without that expulsion he would not have been born [22].
Despite the formal diplomatic freeze, some officials on both sides have pursued informal dialogue. Japanese lawmaker Muneo Suzuki reported that during a visit to Moscow he asked Russia to resume visits by former residents to ancestral graves and bilateral fisheries talks, and was told a meeting with Foreign Minister Lavrov could be arranged if Japan wished [8]. Russian cultural envoy Mikhail Shvydkoy argued in Tokyo that economic dialogue should begin now rather than waiting for the war's end [8]. Japanese Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa confirmed government employees would travel to Russia to protect the assets of companies that have not withdrawn [8].
Analysts offered differing interpretations of the visit's purpose. Temple University professor James Brown said Japan often follows US foreign policy and that given Trump's positive attitude toward Putin, Tokyo may be confident it will not face Washington's criticism for partially resuming engagement with Moscow [8]. Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center director Alexander Gabuev said one of Putin's goals is to show activity before September parliamentary elections [28]. The Institute for the Study of War said the visit was likely part of the Kremlin's response to Japan's latest defense white paper [17]. A Novosibirsk activist identified as Olga described Putin's broader Siberian tour as a "spectacle" that ignored real municipal problems including transport, dust pollution, and housing infrastructure [13].
Strategic analysts have noted Russia's military buildup on the islands since 2015, including missile deployments and new barracks, framing the militarization as protecting Russian ballistic-missile submarines and raising implications for US-Japan-South Korea defense cooperation in the region [20][29].
Japan is considering additional sanctions against Russia following the visit, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official who said Tokyo is "considering what step to take going forward" [12]. Russia halted peace treaty negotiations and visa-free travel with Japan in 2022 after Japan imposed sanctions over the Ukraine conflict [2][8].