(Central News Agency reporter Dai Yazhen, Tokyo, 13th) Russian President Vladimir Putin today made his first visit to Eltor Island, the four northern islands where Japan and Russia have sovereignty disputes. In addition to inspecting local aquatic product processing facilities, he also once again declared that the four northern islands belong to Russia. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed strong protest against this, saying bluntly that Putin's trip will make it more difficult to restore medium-term and long-term relations between Japan and Russia.
Sapporo TV reported that Vladimir Putin visited Sakhalin Oblast on the 12th for the first time in 13 years and inspected the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet military exercises. The next day, he went to Etorugo Island. This is also the first time Putin has set foot on the four northern islands since taking office.
Putin inspected aquatic product processing facilities on Ettor Island and tasted local aquatic products. When talking about the issue of the four northern islands the day before, he said that although Japan has made territorial claims to Russia, Russia's possession of the four northern islands is "the result of World War II" and said that the relevant content has been clearly stated in "international documents."
Putin did not specify which international document he was referring to, but his remarks were seen as once again emphasizing Russia's position on sovereignty over the four northern islands.
The Japanese government immediately expressed its opposition. Takaichi said that the Northern Territory "is our territory both historically and under international law, and the Russian President's visit to Etorofu Island is incompatible with Japan's consistent position." He criticized the move as "it must be said that it makes the restoration of mid- to long-term relations (with Japan and Russia) more difficult."
The four northern islands include the Habomai Islands, Shikotan Island, Kunashir Island and Etoru Island. Japan claims that the four islands are Japan's inherent territory. However, they were occupied by the Soviet Union after the end of World War II and continue to be actually controlled by Russia.
Japan and Russia have negotiated territorial issues in the past. In 2018, then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Putin agreed to accelerate peace treaty negotiations based on the 1956 "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration". The declaration stated that after the conclusion of the peace treaty between Japan and the Soviet Union, the Habomai Islands and Shikotan Island would be handed over to Japan.
However, the leaders of the two countries have not held face-to-face talks since 2019. After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Japan followed up Europe and the United States to impose sanctions on Russia. Russia subsequently stopped negotiating a peace treaty with Japan, and the issue of the four northern islands reached a deadlock.
As for Putin's visit to Etifu Island at this time, Liberal Democratic Party Senator Suzuki Munao, who has maintained long-term exchanges with Russia, believes that in addition to showing Russia's position, this move may also include the purpose of releasing a message to the Kaohsiung City Government.
Suzuki pointed out that Putin's recent emphasis on the good relations between Japan and Russia during Abe's administration may be a message to the high market, hoping that the relations between the two countries will "return to the Abe era."
Major Events on the Four Northern Islands Issue
October 1956 "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration"
Japanese Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama and Chairman of the Soviet Council of Ministers Bulganin signed the "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration" to end the state of war and restore diplomatic relations. The two sides failed to reach an agreement on the ownership of the four northern islands, but clearly agreed that "after the conclusion of the peace treaty, the Habomai Islands and Shikotan Island will be handed over to Japan."
"Visa-free exchange" in 1992
Japan and Russia begin visa-free exchanges between the four northern islands.
"Tokyo Declaration" of October 1993
Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the "Tokyo Declaration", which clearly listed the four islands of Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashiri, and Etoruma, and agreed to "continue negotiations and conclude a peace treaty at an early date" to resolve the issue of ownership of the four islands.
November 1997 "Krasnoyarsk Talks"
Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto held talks with Yeltsin and agreed to strive to conclude a peace treaty before 2000 based on the "Tokyo Declaration".
April 1998 "Kawana Proposal"
Hashimoto proposed to Yeltsin the idea of delimiting the national border north of the four northern islands, but recognizing that Russia would continue to exercise administrative jurisdiction over the four islands for a certain period of time.
September 2000 "Putin's visit to Japan"
Putin said that the "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration" is still valid, but said that "the Kawana proposal is not completely consistent with Russia's ideas."
March 2001 "Irkutsk Statement"
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and Putin confirmed that the "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration" would be the starting point for peace treaty negotiations.
January 2003 "Japan-Russia Action Plan"
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Putin confirmed to promote bilateral relations, including economic cooperation.
November 2010 "Mevedev's first visit to Kunashir Island"
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev became the first Russian top leader to visit Kunashir Island. In July 2012, Medvedev, who had become Prime Minister, visited Kunashir Island again and declared that this is "Russian land and will not give up an inch." In August 2015, Medvedev visited Etorho Island.
December 2016 "Putin's visit to Japan"
Japan and Russia agreed to negotiate "common economic activities" on the four northern islands. In September 2018, Putin proposed concluding a Japan-Russia peace treaty without preconditions before the end of that year.
November 2018 "Abe-Putin Talks"
The two sides agreed to speed up peace treaty negotiations based on the 1956 "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration".
June 2019 "Osaka G20 Japan-Russia Summit"
Abe and Putin agreed to continue advancing negotiations based on the "Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration".
July 2020 "Russia amends constitution to prohibit ceding territory"
Russia's revised constitution has officially come into effect, which explicitly prohibits the cession of Russian territory.
February 2022 "Russia invades Ukraine"
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the then Fumio Kishida government imposed economic sanctions on Russia. Russia subsequently refused to continue peace treaty negotiations, including territorial issues. In September 2022, Russia stopped the effectiveness of the exchange and free visit agreement on the four northern islands.
August 2026 “Putin’s first visit to Etho Island”
Putin set foot on the four northern islands for the first time, inspecting the aquatic product processing facilities on Etortu Island and other places.
