Russia Summons Japanese Ambassador as Dispute Over Kuril Islands Flares Up

Aug. 18, 2026 Japan's Ambassador Akira Muto visits the Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow. REUTERS / Ramil Sitdikov Japan's ambassador to Moscow was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday after Tokyo issued a sharp protest over President Vladimir Putin's first-ever visit to the disputed Kuril Islands. Japan maintains that the four southernmost islands of the Kuril chain, located just north of the Hokkaido prefecture, were illegally seized by the Soviet Union after it announced its surrender in World War II. The disputed status of the islands has prevented Russia and Japan from formally signing a World War II peace treaty. Putin's trip to the island of Iturup, known as Etorofu in Japan, last Thursday was the first visit by a Russian president to the archipelago since Dmitry Medvedev traveled there in 2010. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi denounced the visit as "absolutely unacceptable" and summoned Russia's ambassador in Tokyo. In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Japan of crossing "the line of decency" with its protest and summoned Japanese Ambassador to Moscow Akira Moto to the Foreign Ministry building. Muto did not immediately comply with the summons, prompting Lavrov to express frustration on Monday. “We were told either that he was not in Moscow or that he was unwell. We did not quite understand the situation,” Lavrov told reporters. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova later said that Muto's health had "suddenly started feeling better" and confirmed he would attend on Tuesday. Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported that Muto initially delayed his response out of concern that Russian officials would dominate the exchange. Tokyo ultimately instructed Muto to attend following internal deliberations. Muto spent roughly 20 minutes inside the Foreign Ministry building in Moscow on Tuesday and declined to answer questions from reporters when leaving, according to Interfax. Relations between Tokyo and Moscow have steadily deteriorated since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Japan joined G7 partners in imposing sanctions against Moscow, and it also provides financial and some military aid to Ukraine. AFP contributed reporting. Read more about: Japan , Foreign Ministry , Diplomacy Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more North Korea's Top Diplomat to Visit Russia From Sunday North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui will visit Russia for a three-day trip from Sunday to Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. 1 Min read Moscow Lashes Out After Prague Accuses Skripal Suspects Over Deadly Blast Czech authorities had expelled 18 Russian diplomats identified as secret agents of security services suspected of involvement in a 2014 explosion. Russia Says Britain Might Be Involved in Skripal Poisoning Russian Foreign Ministry demanded from London to prove British spies did not poison a former double agent, saying in the absence of such proof it would... U.S. Reportedly Pressuring Russia to Sell Shuttered Diplomatic Properties Russian diplomats are not pleased with the proposal