A veteran Japanese lawmaker currently visiting Russia said Monday he has asked Moscow to allow Japanese fishing boats to resume operations in the waters around four disputed islands off Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. Muneo Suzuki, a 76-year-old independent House of Councillors member known for advocating close ties with Russia, told reporters after talks with Andrey Yakovlev, deputy head of the Russian fisheries agency, that he also sought permission to resume harvesting kelp in waters off the Habomai islet group. The islet group along with Shikotan, Kunashiri and Etorofu are co…