Senior Correspondent, Dhaka:
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril island of Iturup has added a fresh layer of tension to already strained relations between Moscow and Tokyo. Coming just days before Japan marks the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II, the visit carries both territorial and strategic significance.
Japan regards Iturup, or Etorofu, as one of its Northern Territories, while Russia considers the island an integral part of its territory. The dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a formal postwar peace treaty and has remained a major obstacle to deeper bilateral relations.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s strong condemnation shows that the territorial dispute remains highly sensitive in Tokyo. By summoning the Russian ambassador, Japan also sought to signal that Putin’s visit would not be treated as a routine domestic matter.
For Moscow, however, the visit appears designed to reinforce its sovereignty claim and demonstrate that Russia has no intention of reopening the territorial question on terms demanded by Japan. The presence of Putin on the island gives political weight to that position, while Russia’s immediate rejection of Tokyo’s protest further hardens the divide.
The timing also matters beyond the bilateral dispute. Russia and China have increasingly aligned against what they describe as attempts to revise the outcome of World War II. Their joint statement opposing changes to the regional postwar order adds a broader geopolitical dimension to the Kuril dispute.
The episode also comes amid heightened military activity in Northeast Asia, including North Korean missile tests and US-South Korean military exercises. This increasingly interconnected security environment is pushing Japan closer to its allies while simultaneously creating more friction with Russia and China.
Putin’s visit therefore goes beyond a symbolic territorial gesture. It highlights how unresolved World War II disputes continue to shape present-day strategic competition in the Asia-Pacific.
