Why Putin’s first Kuril Islands visit matters as Russia-Japan ties hit new low

File photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin watches a military exercise from the board of the Varyag missile cruiser of the Pacific Fleet near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on Sakhalin Island, Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the disputed Kuril Islands for the first time, travelling to Iturup as Moscow's relations with Japan remain deeply strained over Russia's war in Ukraine.The visit, reported by Russian state media on Thursday, comes after Putin oversaw military exercises involving Russia's Pacific Fleet in the country's Far East.It also comes a day after North Korea, a close Russian ally, fired a ballistic missile towards waters off the Korean Peninsula.Putin's trip to Iturup is significant because the island is among four southern Kuril Islands that Japan claims as its own territory and calls the Northern Territories.Putin visits Iturup, inspects local industryAccording to Reuters, Putin visited the Yasny fish-processing plant on Iturup and was shown local fishing operations. Russian television footage showed him examining large tuna and halibut and sampling fish roe.The Russian president also interacted with residents."What lovely weather you have there, just like a ...