Support The Moscow Times!

Rogozin Tells Japanese To Commit Ritualistic Suicide Amid Kuril Island Spat

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin

A Russian government official responded to Japanese protests over Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's visit to one of the disputed Kuril Islands by suggesting Sunday that those offended in Tokyo commit ritualistic suicide rather than go on “making noise.”

Medvedev on Saturday visited one of the four disputed Pacific islands, which have been the subject of a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia since the end of World War II, prompting the Japanese Foreign Ministry to lodge an official complaint with the Russian embassy in Tokyo.

This didn't go down well with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian government's point man for all things military.

“Had they been real men, they would have followed the tradition of committing harakiri and would have calmed down finally. Instead, they are only making noise,” Rogozin, known for his controversial remarks, said on Twitter on Sunday.

Harakiri, also known as seppuku, is a form of ritualistic suicide by disembowelment traditionally practiced by samurai looking to die with honor rather than fall to their enemies.

Japanese protests over Medvedev's visit to the disputed islands mean that a scheduled visit by President Vladimir Putin to Japan later this year might not go ahead, the Vedomosti newspaper reported Monday.

At the end of World War II, the Soviet Union seized the four disputed islands at the southern end of the Kuril archipelago. Known to the Japanese as the Northern Territories, Tokyo has maintained its territorial claim on the four islands ever since.

During his visit to Iturup Island on Saturday, Medvedev dismissed Japan's position.

“Our position is simple: We want to be friends with Japan, Japan is our neighbor. We have a good attitude toward Japan, but this shouldn’t be linked in any way with the Kuril Islands, which are part of the Russian Federation,” Medvedev was quoted by Reuters as saying Saturday.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more