The Japanese Foreign Ministry summoned Russia's ambassador to Tokyo, Nikolay Nozdrev, to the Foreign Ministry in connection with Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup Island in the Kuril Islands.
Modern.az reports that, according to Kyodo news agency, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi had previously expressed his "strong protest" to Russia. Tokyo claims that the Southern Kuril Islands, including Iturup, are Japan's "true territory."
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also stated that Putin's visit to Iturup complicated the process of normalizing Japan-Russia relations.
The Russian President, however, stated on August 12 that Moscow does not pose a threat to Japan and has no territorial claims against Tokyo.
It should be noted that a peace treaty has not been signed between Russia and Japan since World War II. The main disagreement between the parties is Tokyo's territorial claims to the Southern Kuril Islands. Japan calls Kunashir, Iturup, and a number of islands in the Lesser Kuril chain "Northern Territories." These territories came under the control of the USSR as a result of World War II.
