Mending Relations: Japan and China

[Aepsilons]

Japan and China have long had a volatile relationship. The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), which drew in economic aid from the United States, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, resulted in many casualties and hard feelings on both sides.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to be trying to put the troubled ghosts of Sino-Japanese relations to rest.

Mr. Abe recently added two pro-China members of the national legislature, Sadakazu Tanigaki and Toshihiro Nikai, to senior positions in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party. As Japanese political analyst Atsuo Ito told the (London) Guardian newspaper, this is a sign that he’s “sending a strong message to China that he wants to improve ties. Tanigaki and Nikai both have good ties with China.”

It’s difficult to pinpoint what caused the Japanese PM’s sudden policy shift. Japan, of course, has been a staunch ally of America since World War II, and remains so.

Mr. Abe has called for improved relations with China in the past. Yet his visit last December to the Yasukuni Shrine — which honors soldiers who have died fighting for Japan, and is a source of historical tension for China — appeared to indicate the opposite.

Perhaps he has had a change of heart.

Then again, China’s escalating influence in the free market economy could have been a factor. While it may be a communist country, it’s also gradually becoming an economic superpower. China is the world’s biggest player in international trade, and has experienced rapid annual growth in its rate of gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, China has the world’s largest pool of foreign exchange reserves. It controls an enormous amount of U.S. Treasury bonds and, most importantly, our nation’s public debt.

Mr. Abe, a fiscal conservative, may have simply seen the proverbial writing on the wall and decided to put more of Japan’s financial eggs into one Chinese basket.

Whatever the political, historical or economic motivation, Mr. Abe seems to be attempting to mend fences with China. While the PM will obviously have to watch his step and tread cautiously, the world will be watching this development in Japan-China relations with great interest.



Japan and China | Opinion - Rhode Islanders speak out on issues | Providence Journal

 

[sincity]

Japan had over 30 billions dollars in trade surplus with China last year, still japan economy was in a big deficit. Japan currently rely on China market to lower their annual national deficit, Abe realized japan can't piss away 30 billions trade surplus without the negative impact on Japan economy. All the hard line rhetoric aside, till money rule the day with the saying go money talk and bullshit walk.

 

[jkroo]

The so called ‘Second Sino-Japanese War’ is an China anti-fascist war. Remember it that will do good to the relationship.

 

[sicsheep]

Chinese side hope to improve the relations too, but its hard when japan has nothing to offer,
political, historical or economic...what can China gain from a better relationship with Japan?
I mean we can't just do it for the sake of having one less enemy.
so it is hard to sit down and talk when there's nothing on the table to talk about.

 

[DragonEmpire]

No. Total surrender with a Han Chinese as the new Japanese emperor is the only option.

 

[terranMarine]

Abe is a funny guy, didn't he often say that Japan's door is open and always welcome China for a better relation while at the same time the dude visits yasukuni shrine and talking about the China threat not to mention the illegal purchase of Diaoyu. The consequences are biting Japan especially since Abenomics is crumbling too. Now he wants to shift away from the tough approach with a couple of pro China politicians. I bet he is still waiting with anxiety for an invitation from Xi

 

[AgentOrange]

Abe is a funny guy, didn't he often say that Japan's door is open and always welcome China for a better relation while at the same time the dude visits yasukuni shrine and talking about the China threat not to mention the illegal purchase of Diaoyu. The consequences are biting Japan especially since Abenomics is crumbling too. Now he wants to shift away from the tough approach with a couple of pro China politicians. I bet he is still waiting with anxiety for an invitation from Xi

Not to mention that pro-Nazi/Japanese war crime denial cabinet member he just brought in. Abe is a two faced weasel. His bullcrap might fly in Tokyo but China and South Korea see right through it and want nothing to do with him.

 

[terranMarine]

Not to mention that pro-Nazi/Japanese war crime denial cabinet member he just brought in. Abe is a two faced weasel. His bullcrap might fly in Tokyo but China and South Korea see right through it and want nothing to do with him.

Indeed, Japan's latest sincerity approach is questionable , we need a Japanese PM with a real vision for mending ties with China not some right wing fanatic

 

[StarCraft_ZT]

Don't trust Japanese.