Japan PM: Putin’s Kuril Visit ‘Absolutely Unacceptable’

Japan’s prime minister, Takaichi, has condemned Vladimir Putin’s first visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, calling it “absolutely unacceptable.” The trip has escalated tensions between Tokyo and Moscow over the territory, which both nations claim as their own. The Japanese government has lodged a formal protest over the Russian leader’s arrival. The islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan, have been a sticking point in bilateral relations for decades.