Mir, a cat given to Japan Akita Governor Norihisa Satake by Russian President Vladimir PutinDied on Tuesday. This 12 year old Siberian cat He was experiencing health problems. Officials in Akita Prefecture confirmed the death to Russian news agency TASS.
Putin gave Satake a kitten in 2012 as a thank you for an Akita dog, Yume (Dream), which Satake had gifted to the Russian president. The dog was given in appreciation of Russia’s assistance following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent Fukushima disaster. Putin, known for his fondness for dogs, adopted a cat after Satak learned to like cats.
Mir, which means “peace” in Russian, faced a six-month quarantine after arriving in Japan. Russian diplomats visited the cat regularly, making sure its needs were met. Mir went through another period of isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, Satak commented on the cat’s place in his family, saying, “He’s very hungry, he’s strong and cheerful, and his character is calm. Mir gets along well with the six other cats living in our home.”
“This is a special animal to me – my soul rests when I see its face,” Satak added.
Satke is scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday regarding Mir’s death.
