Putin's First Visit to Disputed Etorofu Island Draws Sharp Protest from Japan

President Vladimir Putin has made his first visit to Etorofu Island, one of four disputed territories off Hokkaido, drawing a sharp protest from the Japanese government. The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia, have been a source of bilateral tension since the end of World War II.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi lodged a strong protest following the visit, asserting that the four islands—Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai islet group—are inherently Japanese territory based on historical and legal grounds. Tokyo maintains the islands were illegally seized by the Soviet Union after the war.

Moscow, however, insists its sovereignty over the Southern Kurils is legitimate. Putin’s visit, occurring nearly four and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is seen as a signal that Moscow will not compromise on territorial issues. The unresolved dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a post-war peace treaty, and relations have further deteriorated since Japan joined Western-led sanctions against Russia.