Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba yesterday to discuss increasing economic, energy, and security cooperation between the two countries . . . however, there was no breakthrough on resolving the sovereignty of the disputed Kuril Islands seized by Russia from Japan at the end of World War II . . . this dispute over the Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and Habomai islands has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a post-war peace treaty . . . Lavrov said that he would resume discussions of the islands after Russia’s March elections . . . they did sign an agreement that simplifies the process of obtaining business visas . . . bilateral trade was $31 billion last year . . . Russia and Japan are unlikely to resolve their dispute over the islands in the near future, as not only do the islands have major fishing grounds but they are also believed to have significant natural resources, which could include natural gas and oil . . . both Russia and Japan would like to invest in developing the Islands, however Tokyo is unwilling to do so until the dispute is resolved . . . the new agreement on business visas will likely be an additional boost for bilateral trade.