According to CoinMeta, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed strong protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Iturup Island (known as the Southern Kuril Islands by Russia), which is one of the four northern islands. On the 13th, Putin inspected a seafood processing plant on Iturup Island, spoke with the staff, took photos with them, and even tasted the local caviar. This was Putin's first visit to the Southern Kuril Islands. Due to disputes over the ownership of the Southern Kuril Islands, Russia and Japan have not concluded a peace treaty since the end of World War II.