Russia summoned Japan's ambassador in Moscow on August 13 and issued a strong protest over the 'anti-Russian' comments made by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, following President Vladimir Putin's visit last week to one of the disputed Kuril Islands. The meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry lasted about 25 minutes, and the Japanese ambassador left without making any comment.
Putin's visit to the islands last Thursday immediately prompted Japan to summon the Russian ambassador in protest. Prime Minister Takaichi called the visit 'serious' and 'completely unacceptable.' She stressed: 'The Northern Territories are inherently Japanese territory, both historically and under international law.' She also suggested the visit 'further fuels anti-Russian sentiment in Japan, making the restoration of relations in the medium and long term even more difficult.'
The dispute between Russia and Japan over the Kuril Islands, which Japan calls the 'Northern Territories,' has persisted for decades. The Soviet Union seized the islands in 1945 and expelled the Japanese residents. The failure to resolve the dispute over the four southern islands—Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai group—has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty after World War II.
Russia-Japan relations have deteriorated markedly since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine in 2022. Japan joined G7 nations in imposing sanctions on Russia, while providing financial aid and non-lethal defensive equipment to Ukraine. Additionally, Japan indirectly supports Ukraine's air defense by exporting domestically produced Patriot interceptor missiles to the United States, which helps replenish U.S. stockpiles after Washington's military assistance to Kyiv.
On August 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks about Putin's visit had 'crossed the line of decency' and criticized Tokyo's 'militarist course.' According to analysts, Putin's visit may be seen as a warning to Japan not to increase support for Ukraine, such as directly transferring Patriot missiles to Kyiv or cooperating more closely with NATO. In recent years, Japan has relaxed its pacifist policy by lifting the ban on exporting lethal weapons, but it still cannot directly supply lethal military equipment to a country at war, including Ukraine.
