“Japan looks at China as a very important economic partner,” said Koichi Nakano, a professor at Tokyo’s Sophia University.

“But at the same time, there is uneasiness about the very real possibility that China will take over Japan as the economic power in the region,” Nakano added. That mutual skepticism could yet deter negotiators from concessions needed to resolve specific rows, including a festering feud over East China Sea gas fields.

The dispute symbolizes more than an argument over maritime gas rights by the two energy-hungry economies. “The East China Sea dispute has become so sensitive because it distills both sides’ biggest concerns about territory, sovereignty and security,” said Huang, the Beijing expert.

The two leaders said after their summit on Wednesday that a resolution was in sight, but gave no details.

Japan’s trade minister on Friday denied reports that, in what would be a major concession, China had agreed to develop jointly a site that lies on a median line Tokyo says marks the border between the two countries’ exclusive economic zones.

“If Japan has something like that in mind, many people here will be opposed. Any issue involving Chinese sovereignty and national dignity is too important,” said Tong Zeng, a major organizer of anti-Japan protests in China in 2005.

Fukuda needs China to bend, not least because of his already sagging public support rates, a trendline that has many pundits predicting he could lose his job later this year, perhaps to be replaced by right leaning former foreign minister Taro Aso.

The deep chill of the recent past may be unlikely to return post-Fukuda, but no one expects problems to disappear soon.

“A bumpy road lies ahead no matter what,” Sophia’s Nakano said. “It’s going to take a number of years for the two countries to draw closer.”

1|2

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Enter your comments - 1000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos Respond to this email