RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN VISIT’S KURIL ISLAND JAPAN'S PM SANAE TAKAICHI PROTESTS

Written by Michael Thervil

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN VISIT’S KURIL ISLAND JAPAN'S PM SANAE TAKAICHI PROTESTS | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KREMLIN

[RUSSIA PUTIN KURIL ISLAND SANAE TAKAICHI] Two days ago, marks the first time Russian President Putin visited the Kuril Islands known to the Japanese as Etorofu, which is a volcanic archipelago consisting of four islands within the Sea of Okhotsk/North Pacific Ocean and is a part of the Sakhalin Oblast in the most eastern part of Russia. It should be noted that the Russian navy was conducting drills near the northern part of the Sakhalin Oblast prior to President Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands. Kuril Island lies approximately 702 nautical miles (1,300km) northeast of Hokkaido, Japan. While President Putin was taking the time out to meet with not only the regional governor, but he also toured hospitals, schools, and a fish processing plant; some Japanese notably Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took issue with President Putin's controversial visit to the Kuril Island.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took the position that the Japanese government never agreed to the Soviet Union taking control of the disputed island during World War II (1945) and that Russia does not have the right to claim any parts of the island. Calling President Putin's visit to Kuril Island “absolutely unacceptable”, She also went on to state that President Putin's visit “offends the sentiments of the Japanese people” and that “This visit … by the sitting Russian president goes against Japan’s consistent position on Etorofu.” Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi also doubled down in support of Prime Minister Sanae Takaishi by stating that Kuril Island is “an inherent part of Japan’s territory both historically and under international law”.  

Immediately firing back, Russian Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stated “Japan's PM Takaichi can prattle on all she likes about the Kuril Islands being historically Japanese, but this chatter won't change a thing. They were and will remain Russian land. Anyone who fails to understand this will face the monstrous consequences of their delusion.” President Putin followed the statements of Dmitry Medvedev by saying “Japan has identified Russia as a main source of threats. I would like to point out that we are not threatening Japan … On the contrary, it has territorial claims against our country.”

The historical record shows that in 1945 there were an estimated 17,000 Japanese living on the island and were deported by the Soviet Union. Today some 20,000 Russians reside on the island. Some Geopolitical Analysts see this latest tension as yet another stroke of deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries. Other Geopolitical Analysts are taking the position that President Putin's visit to Kuril Island is to be considered a master chess move that was executed to further undermine Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ability to project power, security, and dominance in the region. Despite this, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is holding on to the position that the Kuril Islands are “both historically and under international law” a part of Japan.

Beyond serving as a prior World War II Russian military hub, the Kuril Islands are also rich in rare mineral deposits, fisheries, timber, sulfur, polymetallic ores, geothermal energy, as well as oil and gas.