Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, one of the disputed southern Kuril Islands, for the first time as Russian president
Japan lodged a strong protest with Moscow, reiterating that Iturup and three other islands are Japanese territory
The visit highlights a decades-old Russia-Japan territorial dispute that has prevented the two countries from signing a post-war peace treaty
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril island of Iturup on Thursday, his first personal visit to the islands as president, prompting a strong protest from Japan over a long-running territorial dispute between the two countries. Putin visited the island during a working trip to Russia's Sakhalin region.
Japan's Foreign Ministry said it had received reports of Putin's visit and lodged a "strong protest" with Russia. Tokyo reiterated that the four islands it calls the Northern Territories, including Iturup, are "inherently Japanese territory" from both historical and legal perspectives.
Putin's Visit
Putin visited the Yasny fish-processing plant on Iturup and a secondary school named after Hero of Russia Eduard Norpolov, where he inspected classrooms and the school museum and spoke with students.
He also spoke with local residents and held a meeting with Sakhalin Region Governor Valery Limarenko, according to Russian state media.
The visit comes as a part of Putin's working trip to the Sakhalin region, including visits to local facilities and meetings with regional officials.
The Disputed Islands
The visit comes against the backdrop of a territorial dispute over the southern Kuril Islands, including Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai group.
Moscow and Tokyo have been negotiating since the middle of the 20th century over a peace treaty following World War II, with the ownership of the southern Kurils remaining the central obstacle.
Russia maintains that its sovereignty over the islands has a proper international legal basis, while Japan maintains its claim over the territories. Tokyo's latest protest underscores the continuing sensitivity of the dispute, with Putin's visit marking the first time he has personally travelled to the Kuril Islands.
