The US ambassador to Japan said Washington recognizes Tokyo’s sovereignty over islands visited by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Aug. 13. Japan summoned Russia’s ambassador in response, while Moscow insisted the islands are part of Russian territory and not a matter of discussion with foreign states.
The United States has condemned the Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, saying it recognizes Japan’s sovereignty over the Northern Territories.
Putin visited the Kuril Islands for the first time in his 26-year tenure on Thursday, Aug. 13, drawing fresh attention to the decades-long territorial dispute with Japan that traces back to the Soviet Union and World War II.
