Putin’s Iturup Island visit sparks geopolitical warnings and Japanese condemnation

President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Iturup Island has sparked significant geopolitical concern and domestic political debate in Japan.

Georgy Trolyaya, a leading Russian expert on Asian affairs and director of the Center for Russian Strategy in Asia, has offered a rare constructive critique of the move. Trolyaya warned that the visit could narrow Russia’s diplomatic options by increasing tensions with Japan and the United States. He suggested this could accelerate a regional divide between a bloc consisting of the US, Japan, and South Korea, and another involving Russia, China, and North Korea. Trolyaya noted that the previous ‘multipolar’ model, which allowed Russia to balance its relationship with China by maintaining ties with Japan and South Korea, may now be collapsing.

In Japan, the Hokkaido Prefectural Assembly addressed the visit during a special committee meeting on Northern Territories. Committee members condemned the visit, stating it is incompatible with Japan’s consistent stance and disregards the feelings of former residents. The assembly discussed the need for the national government to maintain a firm diplomatic stance and requested continued support for budget allocations related to Northern Territory facilities and awareness programs for younger generations.