Russia summons Japan's ambassador after protest over Putin's Kuril Islands trip
Moscow's move follows Tokyo's own summoning of the Russian ambassador over the visit to islands both countries claim.
In 30 seconds
Written by the desk, checked before publishRussia said it called in Japan's ambassador after Tokyo criticised President Vladimir Putin's trip to the Kuril Islands. Japan claims the chain, which it calls the Northern Territories, and had already summoned Russia's envoy. The islands have been under Russian control since 1945.
- Russia said on Monday it had summoned Japan's ambassador in Moscow.
- The row was triggered by Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands.
- Japan had already summoned Russia's ambassador over the same visit.
- Putin travelled to the islands after visiting Sakhalin.
- Soviet forces took the islands in 1945; Japan calls them the Northern Territories.
What we can confirm
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Claim ledger
Every line traces to a named sourceRussia summoned Japan's ambassador over Tokyo's criticism of the visit
- reportedSouth China Morning Post
Putin visited the Kuril Islands after a stop on Sakhalin
- reportedSouth China Morning Post
Japan summoned Russia's ambassador in protest
- reportedSouth China Morning Post
- reportedThe Straits Times
How it unfolded
Built from the timestamps on each report, not from a press release.
Soviet forces take the Kuril Islands
Putin visits Sakhalin, then the Kuril Islands
Japan summons Russia's ambassador
Russia summons Japan's ambassador in response
How outlets are framing it
Same facts, different emphasis. We show the spread rather than pick a winner.
Tokyo treats the islands as Japanese territory and condemned Putin's visit as unacceptable.
Moscow regards the islands as Russian and rejected Japan's protest by calling in its ambassador.
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Revision history
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First publication.
What happened
Russia announced on Monday that it had summoned Japan's ambassador in Moscow. The step came after Japan objected to a visit by President Vladimir Putin to the Kuril Islands, a chain in Russia's far east that Japan also claims and calls the Northern Territories. Putin, 73, went to the islands after stopping on the nearby Russian island of Sakhalin. Tokyo responded by calling in Russia's ambassador to register its complaint, and Moscow then did the same in reverse — a familiar pattern of tit-for-tat diplomatic protests between the two countries. The dispute dates back to the closing days of the Second World War, when Soviet forces took the islands in 1945. The two countries have never signed a formal peace treaty because of the disagreement. What was said in the meetings in Moscow and Tokyo has not been made public.
Why it matters
The Kuril dispute is one of the longest-running territorial arguments in Asia and has blocked a formal peace treaty between two major economies for around 80 years. Relations have grown colder since Japan joined Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine, so each protest makes any future settlement less likely.
What happens next
Both governments are likely to keep repeating their claims publicly, and further diplomatic protests are possible. There is no sign of talks on the islands' status resuming, and no change to who controls them is expected.