Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands on Thursday, August 13, 2026, an archipelago disputed between Russia and Japan since 1945. This was a first for the Russian president, and it immediately reignited diplomatic tensions with Tokyo.
It is a historic visit, and deliberately provocative in the eyes of Tokyo. Vladimir Putin set foot for the first time on the soil of the Kuril Islands this Thursday, August 13, 2026, this archipelago in the North Pacific that Russia has controlled since the end of the Second World War but which Japan still claims.
Japan's reaction was swift. Tokyo summoned the Russian ambassador to deliver its official protest, a diplomatic gesture that reflects the depth of the dispute between the two countries over this territory.
The dispute over the Southern Kuril Islands, known as the "Northern Territories" in Japan, has poisoned Russo-Japanese relations since 1945. No peace treaty was ever signed between the two countries after the global conflict, due to the lack of agreement on the islands' status. Putin's personal visit sends a strong signal about Moscow's intentions regarding any future negotiations.
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