Russia's Foreign Ministry has lodged a strong protest over remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi criticizing Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands, reports infohub.kz.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry's press service, on August 18, Japan's Ambassador to Russia Akira Muto was summoned to the ministry. Deputy Minister Mikhail Galuzin expressed a resolute protest to the Japanese diplomat over the anti-Russian statements by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Putin's visit to Iturup Island.
The Russian side emphasized that Russia's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the southern Kuril Islands are immutable. These territories became part of Russia following World War II, as enshrined in the agreements of the Allied Powers and the UN Charter. Any attempts by the Japanese side to directly or indirectly question this obvious reality are absolutely unacceptable and illegal.
In the context of Tokyo's continued alignment with the collective West's sanctions policy against Russia, as well as Japan's support for the Kyiv regime, the head of the Japanese diplomatic mission was told that Moscow reserves the right to take appropriate countermeasures.
As a reminder, last week Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time, which provoked a sharp reaction in Tokyo. The Japanese side lodged a strong protest, saying it offended the feelings of the Japanese people. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the southern Kuril Islands of Kunashir, Shikotan, Iturup, and Habomai, which Tokyo calls the Northern Territories, are Japan's inherent territory both historically and under international law.
Soon after, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded, saying that Takaichi's remarks caused extreme indignation and were absolutely unacceptable. Zakharova stressed that all the Kuril Islands are an integral part of Russia.