Putin's Island Gambit: What Japan's Diplomatic Blunder Means for the Region The recent visit by President Vladimir Putin to Russia's Kuril Islands has sparked a heated row with Japan, and Moscow is using the opportunity to reassert its dominance in the region.
The timing of Putin's trip was seen as a deliberate provocation, coming on the heels of a significant increase in Russian military presence on the islands.
The Japanese government reacted swiftly and sternly, condemning Putin's actions as an "unacceptable" attempt to alter the status quo.