MOSCOW, 13 August, 2026 (Ghufran): Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Iturup, an island claimed by Japan in the Kuril chain near Hokkaido, prompting a strong protest from Tokyo.According to Russian media, Putin visited the  Yasny fish-processing plant on Iturup. Russian state news agency TASS described the visit as Putin’s first in person to the island chain. The visit came a day after he oversaw naval drills in Russia’s Far East.Russia and Japan have never signed a formal peace treaty following World War Two, with the unresolved territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands remaining a major obstacle. Japan refers to the disputed islands as the Northern Territories.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi protested Putin’s visit on social media platform X, saying that the Northern Territories, including Etorofu, are Japan’s inherent territory based on history and international law.Images broadcast by Russian television channel Vesti showed Putin speaking with officials about fishing and the migratory behaviour of fish. He also sampled local fish roe and spoke with residents of Iturup, praising the island’s pleasant weather.Putin’s visit came a day after Russia’s ally North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. The launch occurred ahead of major joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, which Pyongyang has long opposed.