Tokyo issues angry response as Putin makes his first visit to the disputed Kuril islands

AI Summary

Japan issued a strong diplomatic protest after Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the disputed Kuril Islands, a territory seized by Russia during World War II. The islands hold strategic military importance and valuable natural resources, intensifying tensions between the two countries.

The four contested islands, seized by Russia during World War II, have gained importance since the end of the conflict, providing strategic military bases to the Kremlin, coupled with their rich mineral deposits and fishing grounds.