Russia Protests against G-20 Video Showing Disputed Isles

July 7, 2019

Moscow- Russia has lodged a protest with Japan over its use of a video showing disputed northwestern Pacific islands as Japanese territory for Group of 20 summit public relations, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

The Russian side handed a letter of protest to the Japanese embassy in Moscow on Tuesday, the spokeswoman said.

In the letter, Russia wrote that Japan misused its position as the G-20 chair to make an unfounded territorial claim, according to Zakharova.

Japan hosted the G-20 summit in the western city of Osaka in late June.

An official at the Japanese embassy in Moscow admitted that such a protest has been made.

"The protest is unacceptable," the official said. "We gave due explanation about our country's position to the Russian side."

The islands in question, located off the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido, are controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan. They were seized by former Soviet troops in the closing days of World War II. Jiji Press