Moscow rejects Japan’s protest over Russian PM visit to disputed islands

Moscow has rejected Japan’s “hostile” protest over a visit by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to a disputed archipelago off Russia’s far eastern coast and just north of Japan.

The Kuril Islands, located in the Sea of Okhotsk, lie fewer than 10 kilometers from Japan’s Hokkaido, consisting of Kunashir, Iturup, Shikotan, and Habomai. Three are inhabited, while Habomai is a group of islets with only the presence of a border patrol.

Following Japan’s surrender in World War II, the strategic islands were taken over by the Soviet army in the final days of the war. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the four islands were incorporated into the Russian Federation but Japan continues to lay claim to the islands.

According to a joint declaration signed in 1956, the Soviet Union agreed to return two of the islands provided that a bilateral peace treaty is signed. Japan refused to sign such an agreement, insisting on the return of all four islands.

On Monday, Mishustin arrived in Iturup as part of his tour of Russia’s Far East and Siberia, beginning with the Kuril Islands as his first stop.

The visit angered Japan. A top government spokesman said Tokyo was lodging an official diplomatic protest over Mishustin’s trip.

The disputed archipelago is called in Japan as the Northern Territories.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry even summoned Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin over the visit.

In retaliation, Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned the Japanese ambassador in Moscow.

“Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov conveyed a strong protest to the Japanese side in connection with hostile steps taken by official Tokyo in recent days,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Kremlin also responded to Japan’s protest, saying Mishustin could go wherever on the Russian territory.

The Kremlin said it valued and wanted to improve relations with Tokyo but saw nothing wrong with Mishustin's trip.

“As for the prime minister's trip to Iturup Island, he visits those Russian provinces that he sees fit,” Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Separately, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky responded to Japan’s protest.

“This is yet another protest by Japan regarding the Prime Minister’s trip to the Kurils, which is a counterproductive and completely pointless step. The head of the government visited the territory of the Russian Federation.”

The Russian legislator underscored that the “topic of the sovereignty of the Kurils” is closed, and its discussion “is unacceptable and directly contradicts the new, amended Russian Constitution.”

“Russian sovereignty over the Kuril Islands cannot be challenged, and this position has repeatedly been relayed to our Japanese partners,” Slutsky said.

He advised Tokyo to “finally think about signing a peace treaty, instead of voicing useless territorial claims.”

Moscow to create free economic zone on Kuril Islands: Russian prime minister

While visiting a hospital and a fish plant on Iturup, which is the largest and northernmost island of the archipelago, Mishustin said Moscow was considering establishing a special economic zone on the islands, in which business and investors would be free of most taxes and customs duties.

“This set of measures is unprecedented,” the Russian prime minister said. “We may also think about exempting from taxpayer obligations those who work and invest here.”

He added that the measures would be extended to the main activities on Iturup with some exemptions.

“This special regime will help intensify economic activity here. I will report these proposals to the Russian president and a relevant decision will be made,” Mishustin said.

Russia has had military bases on the Kuril Islands since World War II and has deployed missile systems there.

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