MOSCOW — Russia summoned Japan’s ambassador in Moscow on Tuesday after Tokyo protested President Vladimir Putin’s visit to one of the disputed Kuril Islands, escalating a long-running territorial dispute between the two countries.
According to Reuters, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Japanese Ambassador Akira Muto to protest Tokyo’s criticism of Putin’s visit to Iturup, one of four islands claimed by Japan as the Northern Territories and administered by Russia as part of the Southern Kurils.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said Moscow considered its sovereignty over the islands settled and rejected Japan’s position. He also warned that Russia could take measures in response to what it described as Tokyo’s continued hostile stance.
The move followed Japan’s earlier summons of Russia’s ambassador to lodge a formal protest over Putin’s visit. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the Russian president’s trip to the disputed territory as “absolutely unacceptable” and reaffirmed Tokyo’s claim over the islands.
Putin visited Iturup on Aug. 13 after traveling to nearby Sakhalin. Russian media reported that he met local officials and residents and visited several facilities, including a hospital and a fish-processing facility. It was Putin’s first reported visit to the disputed part of the Kuril chain.
The territorial dispute centers on four southern Kuril Islands, Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai Islands. The Soviet Union seized the islands in the final days of World War II in 1945. Russia has administered them ever since, while Japan maintains that they are part of its Northern Territories.
The dispute has prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a formal peace treaty to fully end the state of war left over from World War II. Relations deteriorated further after Japan joined Western sanctions against Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The islands are strategically important because of their location between Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The area provides access to the Pacific Ocean and contains valuable fishing grounds and other natural resources. Russia has also maintained and strengthened its military presence in the region.
The latest diplomatic confrontation comes as Japan and other countries in the Asia-Pacific continue to closely monitor Russia’s expanding military and strategic activity in the region. The Kuril dispute is also linked to broader security tensions involving Russia, Japan, China and the United States.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, heavy southwest monsoon rains continued to cause flooding across Metro Manila and parts of Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, or PAGASA, said the southwest monsoon remained active, bringing periods of moderate to heavy rainfall to several areas.
Several major roads in Metro Manila were affected by flooding, including portions of Taft Avenue, Pedro Gil Street, Mabini Street, Kalaw Avenue, Maria Orosa Street and United Nations Avenue in Manila. Flooding was also reported along major roads in Quezon City, Pasig and other parts of the capital region.
In Quezon City, affected roads included portions of G. Araneta Avenue, N.S. Amoranto Avenue, Valencia Street and E. Rodriguez Avenue, while several roads in Pasig also experienced flooding as heavy rainfall continued.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reported that Metro Manila recorded 201.7 millimeters of rainfall in five hours on Aug. 17, with more than 138 millimeters falling within two hours. The intense rainfall caused rapid flooding in low-lying communities and along major transport routes.
PAGASA also reported the formation of Tropical Depression Neneng east of Extreme Northern Luzon on Tuesday. The weather system was expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and contribute to continued rainfall over parts of the country.
As Moscow and Tokyo exchange diplomatic protests over Putin’s visit, there is little indication that the decades-old Kuril Islands dispute is close to resolution. The latest confrontation adds another layer to increasingly complicated security and diplomatic relations in the Asia-Pacific region.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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