Putin makes first visit to disputed Kuril Islands, Japan issues strong protest
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup in the disputed Kuril Islands on 13 August 2026, his first in-person trip to the chain, prompting an immediate strong protest from Tokyo over territory Japan claims as its Northern Territories.
Putin's first visit to the Kurils
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, the largest of the four islands claimed by both Russia and Japan, on Thursday, 13 August 2026. State news agency TASS described it as Putin's first in-person visit to the island chain. During the trip, Putin inspected the flagship of Russia's Pacific Fleet and visited the Yasny fish-processing plant, where he sampled local fish roe. Vesti TV channel images showed Putin in a dark suit examining two large tuna and halibut on a table as officials discussed fishing and the migratory behaviour of fish. Russian media reported he also visited a school and spoke with local residents. The Kremlin posted a video of the visit in which Putin remarked on the local climate.
What good weather you have here, it's like a resort.
- Putin visits Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Sakhalin island, visits a hospital and holds meeting on security of Russia's eastern borders
- Putin visits Iturup in the Kuril Islands, inspects Pacific Fleet flagship and visits Yasny fish-processing plant
- Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi issues strong protest against the visit
Japan's response
Tokyo reacted swiftly through Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who posted a statement on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' social media account on X on 13 August.
The Northern Territories, including Etorofu, are an inherent part of Japan's territory both historically and under international law, and the government of Japan strongly protests this visit.
Japan considers the four islands, which it calls the Northern Territories, to have been illegally occupied by the Soviet Union since shortly after Japan's surrender on 15 August 1945. Russia, which calls them the Southern Kurils, maintains the occupation was legitimate.
Background of the dispute
The four contested islands, Iturup (Etorofu in Japanese), Kunashir (Kunashiri), Shikotan and the Habomai islets, form part of the volcanic Kuril archipelago running from Russia's Kamchatka peninsula to Japan's Hokkaido. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan on 8 August 1945, after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and seized the islands in the final days of World War II. The territorial dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a formal peace treaty for over 80 years.
The islands have a population of about 20,000 Russian citizens living in a harsh climate. They hold mineral deposits including gold and silver, as well as rich fishing grounds. After the Soviet occupation, Japanese residents were relocated to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
- Soviet Union declares war on Japan after atomic bombing of Hiroshima
- Japan surrenders; Soviet Union seizes the four islands in final days of World War II
- Japan last uses 'illegally occupied' language before softening its diplomatic tone
- President Dmitry Medvedev becomes first Russian leader to visit the disputed territory
- Medvedev visits the islands again as prime minister
- Russia invades Ukraine; Japan imposes severe sanctions
- Russia breaks off peace treaty negotiations with Japan in response to sanctions
- Putin visits Iturup, first in-person visit to the island chain by a Russian president
Worsening relations
Putin's visit followed a stop on Wednesday in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on Sakhalin island, where he visited a hospital and held a meeting, per RIA Novosti, on ensuring the security of Russia's eastern borders. He had been overseeing navy drills in Russia's far east. The trip coincided with a ballistic missile test conducted by North Korea ahead of planned US-South Korean military exercises.
Relations between Tokyo and Moscow deteriorated sharply after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Japan imposed severe sanctions, and in response Russia broke off peace treaty negotiations in March 2022. Japan also hardened its language, describing the islands as "illegally occupied" for the first time since 2003. In 2010, then-president Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian leader to visit the disputed territory, and returned again in 2019 as prime minister.
