Putin Provokes Japan with Visit to Etorofu

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to one of the islands that Japan claims to be its Northern Territory, Etorofu Island, on August 14th. Putin is supposed to have demonstrated his position that Russia would not make any compromise in discussion with Japan over the islands, which has been suspended since Russia’s aggression in Ukraine in 2022. Japan protested Putin’s abrupt visit to “Japan’s inherited territory.” It surely exacerbates bilateral relations between Japan and Russia.

Putin’s visit to Etorofu made the second example for Russian president to visit Japan’s Northern Territory. When former president Dmitry Medvedev visited Kunashiri Island in 2010, then prime minister of Japan Naoto Kan labeled the visit as “intolerably rough action.” As Russia kept on asserting that the islands of Northern Territory should be maintained as territory of Russia, the bilateral relationship was deteriorated.

 

It is obvious that Putin’s visit this time has the same message to the Russian people. He must be demonstrating his political stance caring for local communities for coming lower house election in September. Putin stressed that handing over the history of victory against Japan to the citizens in his meeting with the governor of Sakhalin Oblast, Valery Limarenko. Russia includes the islands of Japan’s Northern Territory in Sakhalin Oblast.

Putin also visited fishery factory, school and hospital in Etorofu Island.

 

“We strongly protest that,” said Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, “the Northern Territory is an inherited territory of Japan and we cannot tolerate it, definitely.” Since Putin announced his intention to visit the Northern Territory in January 2024, Japan has been telling Russia not to make it. Takaichi insisted that Japan has been open to keep dialogue with Russia even after Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

 

But Takaichi has been using the same context in the relations with China, which Takaichi made worse with her comment on Taiwan in 2025. She intends to impress the world that it is her counterpart that shuts conversation out, despite Japan keeps an open stance. But it is uncertain that the world recognizes Japan as keeping fairer position. Takaichi has not taken any viable diplomatic action other than stressing Japan’s openness to China.

 

Japan has been maintaining cooperative economic activities over fishery in Northern Pacific Ocean and development of oil and gas in Sakhalin Island. That is based on an expectation to some compromise of Russia in negotiation over the Northern Island. But Putin has made his position clear that the island was included in Russian territory as a result of the war. The negotiation has been suspended, since Russian aggression in Ukraine.

 

Former residents in the Northern Territory still hope to go back to their home islands, at least to make visit to their cemetery of their ancestors in every August. Putin’s visit to the island made those former residents more hopeless. “We embrace a strong anger to the action that intimidate our sentiment for returning our homeland,” said Mayor of Nemuro City, the closest city in Hokkaido to the Northern Territory.

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