RIA Novosti and TASS reported that on August 17 local time, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov addressed the issue of Japan's protest against President Putin of Russia ascending to the disputed islands between Russia and Japan, stating that Japan is attempting to rewrite international law according to its own and its ally the United States' interests, evading historical responsibilities, and violating its own constitution.
Lavrov warned, "If Japan seeks to divert global attention from its aggressive militaristic trajectory by attacking Russia, we advise Japan to first take care of its own affairs and address the many domestic issues it needs to handle."
Lavrov's remarks essentially represent a concentrated rebuke by Russia against Japan's "re-militarization" in light of the island-landing incident, upgrading the territorial dispute into a comprehensive challenge to Japan's postwar order positioning.
The following interpretations can be drawn from Lavrov’s statements:
Legal dimension — "You have no right to question me": The core Russian logic holds that the sovereignty over the Southern Kuril Islands is determined by the outcome of World War II, and Japan accepted this result upon signing its surrender. Thus, Putin's visit to Russian territory requires no foreign approval. Earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zarina Zakharova explicitly stated that Japanese statements are "politically meaningless and legally entirely invalid."
Historical dimension — "You should reflect on yourself first": Lavrov accused Japan of "evading historical responsibility," directly linking it to Hatoyama Asahi's act on August 15 of providing funds for memorial offerings at the Yasukuni Shrine as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, as well as multiple cabinet members’ visits to the shrine. Russia thus ties the island dispute with Japan’s historical stance, positioning itself morally superior.
Security dimension — "You are crossing red lines": Lavrov specifically pointed out Japan’s attempts to abandon the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" and the Self-Defense Forces’ efforts to violate the constitution by conducting operations overseas. This reflects Russia’s deep concern over Japan’s "re-militarization." Since 2022, Japan has imposed stringent sanctions on Russia due to the Ukraine crisis, provided economic aid and satellite intelligence data to Ukraine, and collaborated with Ukraine in drone technology—leading Russia to regard Japan as an "adversary state."
Lavrov’s remarks mark that relations between Russia and Japan are unlikely to ease in the short term. Russia has clearly stated there is "no room whatsoever for negotiation over territorial claims," while Japan remains steadfast in its alignment with Western sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine issue. The core purpose of Lavrov’s statement is to clearly signal to both Japan and the international community: Russia not only intends to close off any possibility of negotiation on territorial issues, but will also continue applying pressure on Japan’s "re-militarization" path in historical and moral terms.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873813740100747/
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