Decades after World War II, Russia, and Japan are still disputing over the Northern Territories and leaders of the country have stated that the road to a resolution may still be a long way to go.
The Associated Press reported that both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are aware of the cold territorial war that could rage on if they don't make notable progress soon. The leaders admitted that they have not yet reached a deal regarding the territories in question.
Due to the continuing tensions, Japan and Russia have not been able to sign a peace treaty. While the matter has not had a significant economic impact on both countries, it has raised concerns over political ties.
Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Japan must acknowledge that the four islands, dubbed as the Northern Territories, all belong to Russia. Lavrov said the Asian country must recognize this before any talks materialize.
Lavrov's statements pushed a button on the Japanese prime minister and seem to have made the situation more complicated. However, Putin and Abe have been meeting often over the past months to resolve the issue.
Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Takeshi Osuga said of Tuesday's meeting, "This was the fourth summit meeting within six months. This is in general exceptional ... it's not something we see very often in diplomacy."
Putin hosted Abe during their 25th meet-up since they started bilateral talks in 2013. A peace treaty has long been on the table to finally end the bitter World War II that saw the two countries lose many of their countrymen.
Despite the lack of progress, Putin expressed optimism over the "quite regular" meetings that transpired over the past years between him and Abe, China Daily reported.
Abe echoed Putin's sentiments earlier this week when he said he has agreed with the Russian leader to find a resolution to the decades-long tension "with our own hands and not pass the problem on to the future generations."
The desire of both countries to end the remnants of World War II has inspired hope among countrymen. However, statements made by some officials and spokespeople from both sides have blurred the line.
It is unclear if any significant developments were made on Tuesday's meeting. Spokespersons from both parties refused to give details about how the summit ended or if Russian and Japanese leaders have forged a clear path towards ending the territorial dispute.
