Russia Protests to Japanese Ambassador Over Takaichi’s ‘Anti-Russian’ Remarks

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A previous meeting between Russia and Japan.

Russia delivered a strong protest to Japan’s ambassador to Moscow on Tuesday over what it described as anti-Russian remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in a dispute over a group of Russian-controlled islands off northeastern Japan.

Moscow’s decision to summon Japanese Ambassador Akira Muto is the latest development in a long-running dispute between the two countries, following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to one of the contested islands last week.

The four islands, known as the Southern Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan, were seized by the Soviet Union in the final days of World War II, shortly after Japan surrendered.

Russia controls and administers them, but Tokyo still claims them. Takaichi said last week that Putin's visit "hurts the feelings of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable".

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin delivered Moscow's protest to the Japanese envoy, telling him Moscow objected to "anti-Russian" statements by both Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

"The Russian side stated that Russia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Southern ‌Kuril ⁠Islands are indisputable," the ministry said in a statement after the meeting.

It said the islands legally belonged to Russia, adding: "Any attempts by the Japanese side to directly or indirectly call this obvious reality into question are absolutely unacceptable and unlawful."

The island dispute, unresolved for ⁠eight decades, has prevented Russia and Japan from concluding a formal peace treaty that would unlock closer economic ties between them.

Relations have worsened sharply since Russia launched a full-scale war against ⁠Ukraine in 2022 and Japan joined other nations in condemning it and imposing sanctions against Russia.

Source: Reuters



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