On August 13 local time, Putin made his first visit to Iturup Island (known as Etorofu Island in Japan) in the Southern Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories in Japan), beginning with an inspection of the "Yasne" seafood processing plant, where he interacted with employees and tasted local caviar. Subsequently, he visited a local hospital and school.
Japanese reaction: Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi immediately issued a strong protest.
Source tracking: Kremlin official website / Kremlin social media accounts, RIA Novosti, TASS
Domestic authoritative outlets simultaneously published: Xinhua News Agency, CCTV International News, The Paper, Xinhua News Agency (released at noon on August 13)
Previously, Putin had just inspected exercises of the Pacific Fleet in Sakhalin, criticizing Japan’s policies toward Russia and its territorial claims.
Putin’s landing on Iturup Island (Etorofu Island) was a highly visible political statement meticulously designed. It closely aligned with Russia’s declaration the day before, aiming fundamentally to completely dismiss any Japanese aspirations regarding territorial sovereignty and to assert through concrete actions Russia’s absolute control over the region following the sharp deterioration of Russia-Japan relations due to sanctions.
Preemptive legal closure: On the day before the landing (August 12), Putin made an unusually direct statement, declaring Japan’s territorial claim over the Southern Kuril Islands “baseless.” He emphasized this was a post-WWII fait accompli and accused Japan of shifting its position due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, thereby causing the peace treaty negotiations to stall.
Top-level on-site “seal of approval”: This visit marked the first time as head of state that Putin set foot on the island. Previously, only ministers or high-ranking officials had visited; now, the president personally undertook the trip—symbolizing the utmost significance.
· Packaging travel details as “normalization”: His inspections of the seafood factory, tasting of caviar, and visits to schools and hospitals were intended to send a clear message: this is ordinary Russian territory undergoing economic and social development—not a frontline military outpost.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi issued a “strong protest,” which is standard diplomatic procedure but has limited practical effect:
Expected response under diplomatic convention: Given the head-of-state’s landing, Japan would face immense domestic political pressure if it did not protest—thus, the protest is largely performative for domestic consumption.
Extremely limited leverage: Since the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict, Japan’s sanctions against Russia have worsened bilateral relations. Russia has withdrawn from peace treaty talks and terminated economic cooperation—leaving Japan with no real bargaining chips to compel Russia to back down.
Preemptive legal closure: On the day before the landing (August 12), Putin made an unusually direct statement, declaring Japan’s territorial claim over the Southern Kuril Islands “baseless.” He emphasized this was a post-WWII fait accompli and accused Japan of shifting its position due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, thereby causing the peace treaty negotiations to stall.
Top-level on-site “seal of approval”: This was the first time as head of state that Putin set foot on the island. Previously, only ministers or high-ranking officials had visited; now, the president personally undertook the trip—symbolizing the utmost significance.
Travel details “normalized” for public perception: His inspections of the seafood factory, tasting of caviar, and visits to schools and hospitals were intended to send a clear message: this is ordinary Russian territory undergoing economic and social development—not a frontline military outpost.
Underlying strategic competition: Responding to sanctions and sending a warning to Japan.
This is the most direct rebuke to Japan’s alignment with Western sanctions, clearly telling Tokyo: sanctions have not led to concessions—they have instead hardened Russia’s stance on territorial issues.
Before the landing, Putin had just observed a large-scale military exercise involving 13,000 personnel near the disputed Japan-Russia maritime zone. With warships leading the way and the president landing on the island, this created a powerful dual pressure of military and political intimidation.
Russia repeatedly emphasizes its sovereignty over the Southern Kuril Islands stems from WWII outcomes, and criticizes Japan’s attempts to revise its postwar constitution and challenge the postwar international order. This landing is not merely a territorial assertion—it also represents Russia’s role as a victorious power defending the postwar order.
In sum, amid the current low point in Russia-Japan relations, this landing has effectively closed the door on any future territorial negotiations. Japan’s protests appear utterly powerless in the face of Russia’s de facto control and military deployments.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873386438162443/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.