Russia summons Japanese ambassador after Putin’s visit to disputed Kurils

Russia summoned Japan’s ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow after Tokyo lodged a sharp protest over President Vladimir Putin’s first presidential visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, Moscow said.

Tokyo insists the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, located north of Hokkaido, were taken unlawfully by the Soviet Union after its surrender at the end of World War II, and the territorial dispute has long prevented Moscow and Tokyo from signing a formal peace treaty to conclude hostilities between the two countries.

Diplomatic fallout after Iturup visit

Putin visited the island of Iturup — known in Japan as Etorofu — last Thursday, the first trip by a Russian president to the archipelago since Dmitry Medvedev went there in 2010. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi condemned the visit as "completely unacceptable" and summoned the Russian ambassador in Tokyo.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Japan of crossing "the line of decency" and called in Japan’s ambassador in Moscow, Akira Muto. When Muto did not appear immediately, Lavrov said he was displeased and added: "We were told either that he was not in Moscow or that he was not feeling well. It was not entirely clear to us what was happening."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova later said Muto’s health had "suddenly improved" and confirmed he would appear that day. Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that Muto initially hesitated to respond out of concern Russian officials might dominate the meeting; Tokyo ultimately ordered him to attend after internal consultations.

Muto spent roughly 20 minutes inside the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow and declined to answer journalists' questions after leaving.

Relations between Tokyo and Moscow have cooled steadily since Russia launched its full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Japan joined other G7 partners in imposing sanctions on Moscow and has provided both financial and military assistance to Ukraine.

Photo: EPA-EFE/RUSSIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY / HANDOUT MANDATORY