Four islands – which are controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan – are the subject of a disagreement stretching back more than two generations. As a result, Japan and Russia have yet to sign a peace treaty to end World War II.
What role does the islands – which are known as the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan – play in the geopolitical culture of both countries? What are the regional implications of the dispute? And will Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and President Vladimir Putin be able to solve the issue during their time in office?