Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama expressed his desire Friday to make progress next year in stalled negotiations with Moscow on the bilateral territorial row over four Russia-held islands off Hokkaido.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'I believe I have a stronger wish to resolve this issue than any other prime minister has ever had,' Hatoyama said in an interview in Tokyo with media from Hokkaido, where his constituency is located.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>The 62-year-old leader is the grandson of former Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama, who concluded the Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration in 1956 with then Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Bulganin to resume bilateral diplomatic relations. </PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>Hatoyama, president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, has shown his eagerness to achieve a breakthrough in the decades-old sovereignty dispute since he took power in mid-September.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>To that end, Hatoyama said during the interview that he is looking to increase the number of summit meetings with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and hold thorough discussions on the matter with him.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>He also said: 'I see President Medvedev is also trying to settle the issue in a nonstereotypical way.'</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>In reference to the Japan-U.S. relationship, Hatoyama reiterated that it is the cornerstone of the nation's foreign policy and that a stable alliance between the two countries would contribute to security in other Asian countries.</PARAGRAPH> <PARAGRAPH>'I think I need to continue building relations of trust with President –

Obama," he said.

On the dispute over the relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture, Hatoyama said people might be worried that the issue may affect future bilateral relations.

But he said he has determined it is better for his government to take its time and spend several months examining new options, including a new relocation site, so as to reach a conclusion that would satisfy people both in Okinawa and in Washington.

"I am confident that this way we can make the Japan-U.S. relationship an even more solid one in the future," he said, calling again for public understanding and patience on the Futenma base issue.

On Japan's relations with China, South Korea and other Asian nations, Hatoyama said that past governments led by the Liberal Democratic Party had been unsuccessful in wiping out resentment among people in Asia over "Japan's deeds" before and during World War II.

On the domestic front, Hatoyama maintained that it is he who holds ultimate power in the government, not Ichiro Ozawa, secretary general of the DPJ.

He made the comments as speculation has been growing that Ozawa is the backroom fixer who actually controls the running of the government.

In particular, it is believed that Ozawa's opinions were largely reflected during the decision-making process in the compilation of the fiscal 2010 budget proposal.