From Yale Global Online:
While the Japanese invasion of China more than 60 years ago continues to cloud relations between the two Asian powers, recent diplomatic interactions also signal a beginning of reconciliation. With the rise of a new prime minister in Japan, Shinzo Abe, the two sides saw an opportunity to reverse the animosity that his predecessor had engendered with annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where both veterans and criminals of the war are buried. As Abe visited Beijing and the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao traveled to Tokyo, the two sides demonstrate the continued relevance of high diplomacy and symbolism. But summits and state visits are only part of the story. Wenran Jiang, the director of the China Institute at the University of Alberta, also describes the escalation in security alliances and technological development, as each nation seeks to enhance its position in the military balance of power. But as long as diplomacy takes priority over the military sphere, the leaders could continue to make progress in normalizing relations, easing security tensions and establishing mutually advantageous ties between China and Japan. [Full text]
