Japan's efforts to get back the four Russian-held islands off northeast Hokkaido suffered an apparent setback last year.
Negotiations with Russia made no headway, and scandals involving Lower House member Muneo Suzuki tarnished Japanese aid projects that Tokyo had hoped would improve the odds of the islands' return.
"Since the Suzuki scandals, the issue has been considered tainted," said Taiko Kodama, who was born on one of the Habomai islets and is a senior member of a private lobby calling for the islands' return to Japan. "People harbor an image that the issue is somewhat dirty."