Russia summons Japan envoy after Putin isle visit
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- Japan protested Russian President Putin’s visit to the Northern Territories, calling the islands inherent Japanese territory under international law and history.
- Russia summoned Japan’s ambassador in response to Tokyo’s criticism of Putin’s trip to the Southern Kurils, marking a formal diplomatic rebuke.
- Vladimir Putin visited Etorofu Island on August 13, touring a fish-processing plant and meeting residents—the first such visit by a sitting Russian president.
- Mikhail Galuzin warned Japan of possible countermeasures due to Tokyo’s sanctions on Russia and support for Kyiv during the ambassador’s ministry meeting.
- Akira Muto explained Japan’s position to Russian officials but declined to speak to reporters after the 20-minute meeting at the Foreign Ministry.
- Sergey Lavrov accused Japan of crossing 'the line of decency' by questioning Putin’s right to visit any part of Russia, citing inflammatory statements from Japanese leaders.
Why it matters: Russia’s threat of countermeasures directly links Japan’s Ukraine stance to bilateral territorial disputes, raising diplomatic costs for Tokyo. With no peace treaty since WWII, each provocation risks freezing relations further and entrenching Russian control over the islands.
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