Japanese and Russian foreign ministers on Friday failed to make any progress in solving long-standing differences on Russia's returning four islands claimed by Tokyo. (Photo: Xinhua/AFP)

    TOKYO, Jan. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Japanese and Russian foreign ministers on Friday failed to make any progress in solving long-standing differences on Russia's returning four islands claimed by Tokyo.

    "We can even say that our stands (on the territorial issue) arecompletely opposite," Russian Foreign Minister Seigei Lavrov told a press conference after meeting in Moscow with his Japanese counterpart Nobutaka Machimura, according to Kyodo News.

    Meanwhile, Lavrov said he will visit Japan in early March to discuss President Vladimir Putin's travel there.

    The relationship between the two countries is on rocks. Japan demands that Russia return all four northern islands taken by the Soviet Union after World War II, setting that as a prerequisite for signing a peace treaty. Russia, however, argues that only two are due to be handed over, citing a bilateral agreement reached in1956.

    Machimura said there are "clear differences" between the two sides, Kyodo reported.

    Machimura's visit to Russia aims to realize a summit meeting inJapan likely later this year.

    He will also travel to Israel and Palestine before returning onWednesday. Enditem