Renewed Russia-Japan friction over the disputed Kuril Islands

Relations between Russia and Japan have grown tense following President Vladimir Putin's August trip to the Kuril Islands, a chain seized by the Soviet Union in the closing weeks of World II. Tokyo continues to assert sovereignty over four southern islands, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories," that lie only about twenty kilometres from Hokkaido across the Okhotsk Strait. Local inhabitant Pavel highlighted the stark contrast between the volcanic landscape of Kounashir and the distant Japanese coastline visible on the horizon.

The islands, numbering fifty-six in total, have long been a flashpoint in bilateral ties, with each side maintaining firm claims. The recent visit has revived public and political debate in both capitals about the future of the disputed territory.