According to TASS, on August 17 local time, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that Japan's statement regarding its protest against Russian President Putin visiting the disputed islands between Russia and Japan is completely unacceptable. It goes beyond all decent limits, as Japan even claims that the President of the Russian Federation cannot visit Russian territory.
According to Lavrov, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed summoning the Japanese ambassador in response to Japan's protest over Putin's visit to the island. However, the Japanese embassy refused to attend a meeting with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 14th (last Friday) or August 17th (this Monday), citing reasons such as 'the ambassador being absent from Moscow' or 'unwellness'.
Lavrov emphasized that the Japanese ambassador should go to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be explained about the so-called protests by Japan, as well as the manner in which he conducted his work in Moscow.
Previously on the 13th, Putin first visited Iturup Island, one of the Kuril Islands that are disputed between Russia and Japan (referred to as the Four Northern Islands by Japan).
On that day, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Nakahara expressed strong protest against Putin's visit to the island. She also said that Putin's actions further deteriorated Japan citizens' views of Russia, and made it difficult to restore bilateral relations in the medium to long term.
The issue of sovereignty over the Southern Kuril Islands is one of the major obstacles to the development of relations between Russia and Japan. It is also because of this dispute that Russia and Japan have not concluded a peace treaty since the end of World War II. Japan's condemnation and sanctions against Russia regarding the conflict with Ukraine have interrupted negotiations on issues related to the disputed islands.
