The Kuril Islands: A Flashpoint in a Long Standing Dispute The recent visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the disputed Kuril Islands has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leading the chorus of condemnation.
According to Tokyo, the islands have been inherently part of Japan since the end of World War II.
The annexation of the four southernmost Kuril Islands by the Soviet Union in 1945 had far reaching consequences for regional relations.