Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Japan of having “crossed the line of decency” by protesting President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril Islands.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow on Monday, Lavrov said Tokyo had no grounds to object to the Russian president visiting the islands and argued that Japan’s ambassador in Moscow should appear at the Russian Foreign Ministry to explain the protest.
“Our Japanese colleagues, our neighbours, have certainly crossed the line of decency with their completely unacceptable statements that the president of the Russian Federation cannot visit any part of the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said.
Lavrov said Moscow had summoned Japanese Ambassador Akira Muto after Tokyo protested Putin’s visit to Iturup.
According to Lavrov, however, the Japanese embassy informed Russian authorities that Muto could not visit the foreign ministry on either August 14 or August 17, without providing a clear explanation.
“We simply did not understand this,” Lavrov said, adding that the ambassador was reportedly either not in Moscow or was feeling unwell.
A ‘strong protest’
Lavrov also criticised Tokyo’s “militaristic line” and urged the Japanese government to focus on domestic issues rather than criticising Russia.
Putin visited Iturup on August 13, marking his first visit to the disputed island.
Japan subsequently lodged a “strong protest,” reiterating its position that the southern Kuril Islands, which Tokyo calls its “Northern Territories,” belong to Japan.
Russia and Japan have never signed a post-World War II peace treaty, with their dispute over the four southern Kuril Islands — Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and the Habomai Islands — remaining a major point of contention in bilateral relations.
Lavrov, however, argued that by joining the UN, Japan ratified its Charter and thereby accepted the outcomes of World War II, including Russia’s sovereignty over the Kuril Islands.
