Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday visited the Kuril Islands for the first time, travelling to Iturup in the Russian-controlled Pacific island chain that is also claimed by Japan. The visit prompted a strong protest from Tokyo.
The visit has renewed attention on the long-running territorial dispute between Russia and Japan over the four southernmost islands of the chain, which Japan calls the Northern Territories. The Soviet Union took the islands from Japan in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.
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During his trip to Iturup, Putin visited a fish plant, a hospital and a school. He also briefly spoke to local residents and met Valery Limarenko, the governor of Russia’s Sakhalin region. Before travelling to Iturup, Putin had stopped on Sakhalin Island to attend the final part of drills by Russia’s Pacific Fleet, as part of a recent tour of several regions in Siberia and the Russian Far East.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said his country “strongly protests” against Putin’s visit to Iturup, which Japan calls Etorofu. “The Northern Territories, including Etorofu (Iturup) Island, are Japan’s inherent territory both historically and from the perspective of international law,” Motegi said in a statement. Japan had also protested in 2021 when Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Iturup.
Diplomatic efforts over several decades have not produced any visible results on the dispute. Over the years, Moscow has also increased its military presence on the Kuril Islands, underlining its firm position, and Putin’s visit to Iturup has once again brought the unresolved issue to the fore.
With PTI Inputs
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
