Putin pays his first visit to Pacific island chain claimed by Japan, drawing a protest from Tokyo

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the Kuril Islands on Thursday, August 13, 2026. During his visit to Iturup, the largest island in the chain, Putin toured a fish plant, hospital, and school, and met with local officials. Japan, which claims the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain as its Northern Territories, strongly protested Putin's visit. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that the islands are Japan's inherent territory historically and under international law. The territorial dispute over the islands, which the Soviet Union seized from Japan in the final days of World War II, has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty.

Japan has lodged a strong protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup, one of the disputed Kuril islands. Russian state media reported that Putin visited the island, which Japan claims as its inherent territory historically and under international law. This visit exacerbates the decades-long dispute over the Kuril islands, which has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a peace treaty since World War Two. The islands, administered by Russia, were annexed by the Soviet Union at the end of World War Two. During his visit, Putin reportedly interacted with locals and sampled local produce.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the far-eastern Kuril Islands on Thursday. Japan, which also claims the territory, lodged a "strong" protest in response. The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, were seized by the Soviet Union in 1945, and tensions over them have long strained Russian-Japanese relations. The Kremlin released a video of Putin's visit, which included a stop at a fish-processing plant. Putin's trip to the Kurils followed a visit to the nearby Russian island of Sakhalin, where he attended a meeting on eastern border security. Japan's objection comes as its ties with Russia have further deteriorated since 2022.