Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara temporarily recalled ambassador to Moscow Masaharu Kono to hear his report on the circumstances behind Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's Nov. 1 visit to Kunashiri Island and to demonstrate Japan's displeasure over the visit. Kunashiri Island is one of four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido that Japan collectively calls the Northern Territories.
Mr. Medvedev's visit to the island, whose territorial jurisdiction has yet to be settled, is extremely regrettable. But just as regrettable is the failure of the Japanese government, especially the Foreign Ministry, to effectively deal with the visit, which was not unexpected.
Media reports suggest that the ministry did not have concrete information on Mr. Medvedev's visit in advance. Even so, Mr. Medvedev said on Sept. 29 in Kamchatka that he would visit the Northern Territories without fail in the near future. Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said that he did not take Mr. Medvedev's statement as meaning that he would actually visit the area. One wonders what kind of information and advice the Foreign Ministry gave Mr. Kan. There is also no indication that the Japanese government tried through diplomatic channels to discourage Mr. Medvedev from making such a controversial visit.