Will Putin’s Kuril Islands visit push Japan closer to Ukraine?

Japan is weighing how far to push back after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a disputed island last week, as analysts debate whether tougher measures would have much impact on Moscow. Some observers urged Japan to recall its ambassador, impose additional sanctions and deepen cooperation with Ukraine to show it

Japan is weighing how far to push back after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a disputed island last week, as analysts debate whether tougher measures would have much impact on Moscow. Some observers urged Japan to recall its ambassador, impose additional sanctions and deepen cooperation with Ukraine to show it

MOSCOW (Kyodo) -- Japan's ambassador to Russia appeared at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday after being summoned amid a spat over disputed isla

Vladimir Putin has made a historic first visit to the Russian-claimed Kuril Islands, referred to by Japan as its Northern Territories.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest Tokyo’s condemnation of President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Kuril Islands, the Moscow-controlled Pacific archipelago that is claimed by both countries.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest Tokyo’s criticism of President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Kuril Islands, the Moscow-controlled Pacific archipelago that is claimed by both countries

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Japanese ambassador to protest Tokyo’s criticism of President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Kuril Islands, the Moscow-controlled Pacific archipelago that is claimed by both countries

Russia summons Japanese envoy following Putin’s visit to disputed islands  AP News

Russia summons Japan's ambassador to Moscow over Prime Minister Sanae ⁠Takaichi's 'anti-Russian' remarks.

The island off the east coast of Hokkaido is one of four held by Russia that are known as the Northern Territories in Japan.

Russia summoned Japan’s ambassador after Tokyo protested President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, escalating an already bitter territorial row.

Analysts have said a visit by Russia's leader to a disputed island chain sent a "message" to Japan, which for decades has sought to reclaim control of the territory.

AP —  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday made his first visit to the Kuril Islands, a Moscow-controlled Pacific archipelago that also is claimed by Japan, which voiced a diplomatic protest over the trip. Putin visited a fish plant, a hospital and a school on Iturup, one of the volcanic chain’s southern island

Within hours, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the prime minister's comments, saying they "cause extreme outrage and are absolutely unacceptable".

The Russian leader flexes Moscow’s muscles in the Far East with his first visit to islands seized by the Soviets after the Second World War.