The Russian invasion of Ukraine is proving a seminal moment for global relations, with implications for geopolitics across the world. In the Asia-Pacific, much of the attention has focused on Taiwan which itself faces potential invasion from its larger and culturally similar neighbor. Yet Japan also finds itself at the center of concern about what the crisis might mean for the Asia-Pacific due to its dispute with Russia over the Northern Territories (or Southern Kurils), making the islands a tempting opportunity for Russia if they want to project strength in the Pacific or divide Japan’s priorities. At the strategic level, Russia’s exploitation of the dispute over the Northern Territories gives support to the emerging theory of a newly-solidified…
