On August 13, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova emphasized that Iturup Island, like the entire Kuril Islands chain, is legally an inseparable part of Russia's territory.

Zakharova stated: “It is utterly unacceptable for Japanese senior officials to arrogantly lecture Moscow on which regions its top leader may or may not visit within its own country.”

The immediate trigger for Zakharova’s remarks was Putin’s first visit to Iturup Island. At its core, this move represents Russia’s “closing the door” on negotiations over the Southern Kuril Islands (the Northern Territories) across legal, military, and administrative dimensions—marking a definitive shift from a state of “stalemate without collapse” to open confrontation between Russia and Japan.

The central argument in Zakharova’s statement anchors the sovereignty issue of the Southern Kuril Islands within the post-World War II order. She explicitly stated that, according to the outcomes of WWII, relevant agreements among the Allied Powers, and the UN Charter, the Southern Kuril Islands belong to Russia, with Iturup Island being an “indivisible territory.”

This line of reasoning reveals a clear strategic intent: downgrading the territorial dispute from a “bilateral negotiation issue” into a “matter settled under international law.” Once Russia’s logic—that WWII’s outcome has been definitively established—is accepted, Japan’s territorial claims cease to be legitimate negotiation points and instead become challenges to the international order.

Even more noteworthy is Zakharova’s labeling of Japan as both “revisionist” and “revenge-driven.” She pointed out that nearly 81 years have passed since Japan signed the unconditional surrender, yet it still attempts to justify its past aggressive actions in Asia. The sophistication of this rhetorical strategy lies in linking Japan’s territorial demands directly to wartime historical guilt, thereby placing Tokyo at a moral disadvantage in the global public discourse.

For Japan, the greatest dilemma lies in the fact that for decades it has treated the Northern Territories issue as the cornerstone of its diplomacy toward Russia. However, as Russia transitions from “reserving room for talks” to a complete closure of dialogue, Japan’s diplomatic leverage is rapidly losing value. As Russian geopolitical scholar Lukyanov noted, Putin had refrained from visiting the Southern Kuril Islands for over two decades to avoid provoking unnecessary emotional reactions in Tokyo. Now, amid Japan’s alignment with Western nations in pressuring Russia, Moscow “no longer intends to consider Japanese sensitivities,” and such visits are likely to become increasingly frequent in the future.

Due to the unresolved territorial dispute, Russia and Japan have not yet signed a peace treaty, meaning they remain technically in a state of “war not formally concluded.” Putin’s island visit amounts to a de facto declaration by action: Russia no longer cares about this “unresolved” status.

One must commend Zakharova’s razor-sharp rhetoric—like a spear or dagger, every word hits its mark precisely and effectively.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873478709780873/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.