Russia and China invoke WWII narratives as tensions with Japan flare over disputed islands

In early September, Russia opened a 15-metre monument in Khabarovsk that shows a Soviet soldier shattering a Japanese border post, a clear reference to the 1945 surrender. The monument’s chrysanthemum emblem, a symbol of the Japanese emperor, sparked an immediate protest from Japan’s foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who said its removal was required. The unveiling followed President Vladimir Putin’s first visit to the disputed Itoeroep (Etorofu) islands, after which Moscow publicised missile drills involving a submarine, a warship and a land-based launcher near Japanese waters.

Japan’s defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi argued that the country faces its gravest security challenge since WWII, citing Chinese and North Korean build-ups and deeper ties between those states and Russia. China’s foreign ministry has also warned of “renewed Japanese militarism,” pointing to the U.S. Typhon missile system in Japan and the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo Trials. Joint Russian-Chinese naval exercises in waters claimed by Japan, including a recent frigate and marine-ship maneuver near Okinotorishima, underline the growing military coordination between the two powers. Analysts note that both Russia and China are aligning their WWII narratives to present themselves as victors safeguarding peace, while Japan seeks to counter perceived aggression through increased defence spending and diplomatic appeals at the UN.