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US Backs Japan Sovereignty Over Disputed Islands After Provocative Putin Visit
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The United States has expressed full support for Japan regarding the ownership of the Kuril Islands after Russian leader Vladimir Putin made his first visit to the area in his 26-year rule, as reported by The Moscow Times on August 14.
The trip to the four islands—Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, and the Habomai ridge—prompted an official protest from Tokyo. The islands are administered by Russia as part of the Sakhalin region, but Japan maintains a claim over them under the name Northern Territories.
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US Ambassador to Japan George Glass announced Washington's official position on Friday via social media. Glass stated, “The United States remains steadfast in its support of its key ally and in its recognition of Japan’s sovereignty over the Northern Territories.
At a time when the US-Japan alliance seeks prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, we strongly oppose any actions that undermine peace and stability in the region.”
In response to the visit, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Iturup and the other contested islands “are the ancestral territory of Japan, taking into account historical facts and international law.”
The Japanese Prime Minister added that the Russian president's journey “offends the feelings of the Japanese people” and is “absolutely unacceptable.” A formal statement from the Japanese government noted that the visit creates long-term and medium-term obstacles to restoring bilateral relations.
Following the event, the Foreign Ministry of Japan summoned Russian Ambassador Nikolai Nozdrev. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi delivered a firm protest directly to the envoy.
Officials in Moscow dismissed the stance taken by Tokyo. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the statements from Japan “politically irrelevant, offensive, and legally void,” while accusing Tokyo of “revanchism” and “revisionist narratives.”
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia, stated that the Kurils were, are, and will remain Russian territory, warning that those who fail to understand this face “monstrous consequences.”
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Assessing the evolving battlefield dynamics following a series of diplomatic engagements in Washington, D.C.—including a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House—Zelenskyy emphasized that Russian forces no longer held the upper hand, noting that Moscow was losing roughly 30,000 soldiers per month while continuing to reject proposals to halt hostilities.
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