【Putin is not the first Russian president to visit the Southern Kuril Islands】
Putin made his first visit to the Southern Kuril Islands (known as the Northern Territories by Japan) on August 13, an action that triggered strong protests from Japan. According to Russian media, this was Putin's first trip to the disputed islands between Russia and Japan. In fact, Putin is not the first Russian president to have visited these contested territories—Medvedev previously went there during his presidency. At the time, Medvedev casually whistled and chatted with local residents, sparking strong objections from the Japanese government.
Putin’s long delay in visiting the islands was primarily due to considerations regarding Russia-Japan relations. After Putin returned to the Kremlin in 2012, Abe came into power, and the two leaders developed a warm relationship. Abe visited Russia multiple times, even refusing to join Western sanctions against Russia during the 2014 "Crimea crisis." Naturally, Putin did not wish to provoke Japan over the Southern Kuril Islands issue and was willing to discuss the territorial dispute with Abe. However, after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, Russia and Japan fell out over Japan’s participation in Western sanctions and support for Ukraine. Yet, the war in Ukraine has consumed much of Putin’s attention, leaving little room for other priorities—until now, when he finally made a visit to the disputed islands.
According to AFP, on the day of his visit, Putin toured a fish processing plant on Iturup Island and was gifted caviar. His underlying intention was clearly to assert sovereignty—that “the Southern Kuril Islands belong to Russia”—while also sending a message to Japan: “Do not dream unrealistic dreams.” Putin’s landing on the islands has already provoked strong protests from Japan.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873414916205770/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.