Northern Territories

The Northern Territories, known to Russia as the Kuril Islands, are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean that are a subject of a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia. Japan claims these islands, which it calls the Northern Territories, were illegally seized by the Soviet Union in 1945 at the end of World War II. Russia currently administers these islands. The dispute has recently resurfaced due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup (Etorofu), one of the disputed islands. This visit has drawn strong condemnation and protests from Japan, with its Prime Minister stating that Putin's presence is 'unacceptable' and that the islands are 'inherently Japanese territory'. The ongoing dispute remains a significant point of contention in the bilateral relations between Japan and Russia, impacting diplomatic ties and regional stability.