Japan Protests Putin's Visit to Etorofu Island

What happened

On August 13, Prime Minister Takaichi said she was informed that President Putin visited Etorofu Island and strongly protested, noting that the Northern Territories are Japan's inherent territory and that the visit is incompatible with Japan's position and unacceptable.

Why it matters

The visit hurts Japanese public sentiment, makes it more difficult to restore Japan-Russia relations over the medium to long term, and occurs amid already strained relations due to Russia's aggression against Ukraine.