Why Putin’s first Kuril Islands visit has shocked Japan: Why did he go there now, and how is a WW2-era dispute pushing Russia and Japan further apart?

Putin’s Kuril Islands visit: Why did Russian President Vladimir Putin visit the disputed Kuril Islands now? Putin's first trip to the island chain has reignited a WW2-era territorial dispute with Japan, prompting Tokyo to call the visit “absolutely unacceptable” as tensions between Russia and Japan continue to deepen. Moscow quickly pushed back against Tokyo’s criticism.