Washington Recognizes Japan's Sovereignty Over Disputed Kuril Islands with Russia

The U.S. ambassador in Tokyo announced today, Friday, that the United States recognizes Japan's sovereignty over the disputed Kuril Islands with Moscow.

George Glass wrote on the platform "X" that "the United States stands firm in its support for our most important ally and in recognizing Japan's sovereignty over the northern territories," using the Japanese name for the archipelago that Russian President Vladimir Putin visited for the first time on Thursday.

He added, "As the U.S.-Japan alliance works to promote prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region, we strongly oppose any action undermining peace and stability there."

Putin’s first visit to the contested Kuril Islands on Thursday sparked controversy between Tokyo, which deemed it "offensive to the Japanese people," and Moscow, which dismissed the criticism as "unfounded."

Russo-Japanese relations have long been strained over this dispute, concerning the islands known in Japan as the "Northern Territories," which were occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945.

The Kremlin released a video of Putin in the Kuril Islands, while Russian media reported he visited a fish processing plant where caviar was served to him.

In Sakhalin, the 73-year-old Putin held a meeting "on ensuring the security of Russia’s eastern border," according to Ria Novosti news agency.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the Russian president’s "unacceptable" visit to the islands on Thursday, calling it an "insult to the feelings of the Japanese people," as she stated.