Russian Prime Minister Visits Kuril Islands Amid Territorial Dispute with Japan

Putin Emphasizes Economic Cooperation with Japan

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin
Photo by TASS Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will officially visit the Southern Kuril Islands, which are subject to a territorial dispute with Japan.

On the 26th (local time), according to Russian state news agency TASS and others, Prime Minister Mishustin will visit Iturup Island, one of the four Southern Kuril Islands, as part of his itinerary to Russia's Far East and Siberia, inspecting a hospital-affiliated clinic and a fish processing plant.

Earlier on the 23rd, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Prime Minister Mishustin, emphasizing economic cooperation with Japan in the Kuril Islands and signaling the formalization of specific measures.

Iturup Island is one of the four Southern Kuril Islands (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, Habomai Islands) over which Russia and Japan have a territorial dispute.

Russia and Japan, which fought as enemies in World War II, have yet to sign a peace treaty due to the territorial dispute over the Southern Kuril Islands. Japan seeks the return of the four islands before concluding a peace treaty.

Both Russia and Japan have agreed on joint economic activities in the Southern Kuril Islands through several negotiations, but there has been little progress regarding the territorial dispute.

According to Kyodo News, Prime Minister Mishustin's visit to Iturup Island is the first since his predecessor, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, visited in August 2019.

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