Lack of progress Tuesday on the territorial dispute will go down as yet another win for Moscow as Russia continues to expand its presence on the islands it holds off Hokkaido.
During the summit between Prime Minister Taro Aso and Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, the two sides agreed on strengthening economic ties, most notably on peaceful use of nuclear energy.
But as Russia proceeds with a multiyear plan to boost infrastructure on the islands of Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai islets, which were all seized by Soviet forces at the end of World War II, Japan faces little chance of Moscow returning the territories.