Putin’s WWII Island Grab Sparks New Tokyo Fury

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has publicly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin after his visit to islands seized from Japan at the end of World War II. The trip has reignited a long-standing territorial dispute between the two nations. Takaichi, a vocal critic of Putin, has repeatedly denounced Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and Japan’s resulting sanctions against Russia. Putin’s visit signals Moscow’s continued defiance over the islands, which Tokyo claims as its Northern Territories. The move is expected to further strain already tense bilateral relations.