Japan has expressed its "strong protest" against Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the disputed Kuril Islands, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Thursday. Motegi said, in a statement in which he used the Japanese name for the islands: “The northern territories (...) are an integral part of Japanese territory, historically and under international law, and the Japanese government strongly protests this visit.” Media reported earlier this morning that Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands, which are disputed with Japan, for the first time.