In an article titled "Escalating War of Words between Moscow and Tokyo over Southern Kurils", Kommersant said protests took place around Japanese diplomatic missions in Vladivostok and Moscow on Feb. 8 under the sponsorship of the "Youth Guards of the United Russia".

In the previous day, the Kremlin, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the State Duma stated that Russia's dominium over the southern Kurils can not be a subject of reexamination, said the newspaper, adding:

Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, afraid that his Russia visit would be spoiled, could not but say that Kan's remark was just his private opinion.

Young people in Vladivostok exhibited photos of the islands in the opposite side of the Japanese consulate general, along with a placard reading, "Kurils are Russia's territory".