Japan protests against Putin's visit to disputed islands
Russian leader Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time, according to state media. Japan lodged a strong protest over the visit to the islands, which it claims sovereignty over.
Russian President Vladimir Putin set foot on the Kuril Islands for the first time, according to state media, in territory Japan claims sovereignty over. The visit drew a swift and sharp diplomatic response from Tokyo.
Japan's foreign ministry called the visit "unacceptable" and delivered a formal protest note to the Russian embassy. The islands were seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II and have remained an unresolved dispute between the two countries ever since.
Analysts suggest the timing of the visit was no coincidence, arguing Moscow wants to underscore its presence in the Asia-Pacific even as it faces tension with the West over the war in Ukraine. The Japanese government said it would continue pursuing the matter through diplomatic channels.
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