Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Putin visits disputed Kuril Islands, samples fish roe, Japan protests
Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia, a very big country.
He took a trip to some islands in the ocean called the Kuril Islands.
Both Russia and Japan say the islands belong to them, and Japan calls them the Northern Territories.
Putin visited an island called Iturup, where he toured a fish factory, a hospital and a school.
According to media reports, he also tasted fish roe, which are fish eggs.
It was his first visit to the islands as president of Russia.
Japan was not happy about the visit and said it was "absolutely unacceptable."
The two countries have argued about the islands since the end of World War Two, when the Soviet Union took them from Japan.
Because they cannot agree, Russia and Japan never signed a formal peace treaty.
Russia says the islands are part of its country, and the two countries are also not getting along because of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, an island in the disputed Kuril Islands chain claimed by both Russia and Japan, on Thursday, August 13.
Japan called the visit "absolutely unacceptable," and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev to lodge a strong protest.
The trip was Putin's first visit to the Kuril Islands as Russian president; he toured a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school and met Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko.
Russia and Japan never signed a formal World War Two peace treaty, with the unresolved dispute over the islands, which Japan calls the Northern Territories, the main hurdle.
Moscow dismissed the protest as "unfounded," saying the islands are an integral part of Russia, while ties have deteriorated since Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022.
- Who
- Russian President Vladimir Putin; Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi condemned the visit and lodged a formal protest.
- What
- Putin visited Iturup in the disputed Kuril Islands, touring local facilities and reportedly sampling fish roe, prompting Japan to call the visit "absolutely unacceptable."
- When
- Thursday, August 13.
- Where
- Iturup, a southern island in the Kuril Islands chain, which stretches from Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula toward Japan's Hokkaido; Putin also traveled to nearby Sakhalin Island.
- Why
- Russia and Japan never signed a formal World War Two peace treaty because of the unresolved territorial dispute, and the visit reinforced Russia's sovereignty claim over the islands.
Russia
Japan
Sovereignty over the Kuril Islands / Northern Territories
Russia
Russia says the southern Kuril Islands became an integral part of the Russian Federation after World War II, calls Japan's protest "unfounded," and says Putin's visit was a sovereign decision not to be discussed with foreign governments.
Japan
Japan says the Northern Territories, including Iturup (which it calls Etorofu), are its "inherent territory" both historically and under international law, and called the visit "absolutely unacceptable."
Impact of the visit on bilateral relations
Russia
Putin said Moscow remains prepared to seek a solution aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Japan and recalled the previously constructive relationship under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Japan
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned the visit could make efforts to repair Japan-Russia relations more difficult and said it has further hardened Japanese public sentiment toward Russia.
Sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine
Russia
Putin described Japan's sanctions as "unprovoked" and accused Tokyo of identifying Russia as a major threat.
Japan
Japan joined other G7 nations in imposing sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine and provided financial and non-lethal defence assistance to Kyiv.
- Visitor
- Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
- Location
- Iturup, southern Kuril Islands (called Etorofu by Japan)
- Date
- Thursday, August 13
- Japan's claim
- Northern Territories: Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai islets
- Japan's reaction
- Visit "absolutely unacceptable"; strong protest lodged with Russian Ambassador Nikolay Nozdrev
- Russia's reaction
- Protest "unfounded"; islands an integral part of the Russian Federation following World War II
- Peace treaty status
- Never signed after World War Two
- Russian military presence
- Bastion coastal defence missile systems and Su-35 fighter aircraft deployed on the islands
