NEW EASTERN OUTLOOK 🌐 (@NEO_Journal)

👔❗️🇯🇵A Message From Aboard Russian "Varyag": Why Japan Has to Forget About Revanchism ➿➿➿➿➿➿➿➿➿➿ Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kuril Islands has triggered genuine hysteria in neighboring Japan. Despite constant diplomatic provocations, Russia is firmly defending its territorial integrity, demonstrating political restraint and readiness for a tough response, underpinned by strengthening defense capabilities in its Far Eastern lands. ✏️Ksenia Muratshina is a PhD in History, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Culture Editor of "New Eastern Outlook." ➡️On November 1, 2010, Dmitry Medvedev paid a working visit to the Russian island of Kunashir—a routine visit by the head of state to a remote eastern region. Nevertheless, neighboring Japan was outraged. Japan has repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempted to contest Russian sovereignty over the Southern Kurils, preferring not to recall its capitulation to the Red Army. The Japanese authorities' chief "entertainment" was to watch what Russia was doing in its own eastern lands. Medvedev returned to Kunashir and Iturup in 2012, 2015, and 2019. Mishustin flew to Iturup in 2021. The large number of Japanese "protests" had already become boring. The Russian Supreme Commander-in-Chief's appearance on board the "Varyag" in military uniform is not merely an impressive gesture but a clear sign that dispels any remaining Japanese illusions. ➡️In 2020, amendments to the Federal Law "On Countering Extremist Activity" introduced criminal liability for calls to violate the territorial integrity of Russia. In reality there is no "territorial dispute" between Russia and Japan—Russia does not recognize Japanese claims as a "dispute" and regards them as unacceptable. Japan's actions inflate their own historical militarism and curry favor with Western anti-Russian forces. On August 13, President Putin visited the Kurils. A day earlier, the head of state boarded the guard's missile cruiser "Varyag," where he received a report from the commander of the Pacific Fleet and held a meeting on ensuring the security of Russia's eastern borders. 🟦Putin recalled that Japan "under the pretext of the events in Ukraine, without going into the causes of this conflict, imposed unprovoked sanctions against Russia," and listed Russia among "sources of major threats" for the first time. Russia does not threaten Japan and has never advanced any territorial claims against it, whereas Japan has constantly attempted to lay claim to the Kurils. Yet Russia's right to them "is fixed in international documents as per the outcomes of the Second World War." Putin added: "The commander's proposals for the development of the Pacific Fleet, for the improvement of its capabilities and potential, will be supported." Russia's position is now perfectly clear. The Russian Supreme Commander-in-Chief's appearance on board the "Varyag" in military uniform is a clear sign that dispels any remaining Japanese illusions. Those who choose not to understand this now risk gaining an understanding of Russia's arguments later—in practice. READ MORE #Russia #Japan #KurilIslands #Putin #Varyag #Geopolitics #TerritorialIntegrity ✅@NewEasternOutlook