The Kremlin has confirmed that Yume, an Akita dog presented to President Vladimir Putin by Japan’s Akita Prefecture in 2012, died of old age last year.
Yume, whose name means “dream” in Japanese, was given to Putin as a gesture of gratitude for Russia’s support after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It was one of two Akitas Putin received from Japan; the other, named Mir (peace), was a gift from former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2016.
The news of Yume’s death comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and Japan over the disputed Kuril Islands. The Kremlin provided no further details on the timing or specific cause of death.
