Japan’s new PM pushes for summit with China
The administration of Shinzo Abe, Japan’s new prime minister, stepped up calls for normal relations with China, with Yasuhisa Shiozaki, chief cabinet secretary, calling for a bilateral summit.
However, China underlined the difficulties facing a meeting, with the People’s Daily, mouthpiece of the ruling Communist party, saying Mr Abe had so far failed to “clear the obstacles” in the way of Sino-Japanese ties.
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China has refused to hold a summit with Japan in protest at visits to the controversial Yasukuni shrine by Junichiro Koizumi, Mr Abe’s predecessor. The visits have also chilled ties with South Korea. The memorial pays tribute to those who died in the service of Japan during the second world war, including war criminals.
“We should all make use of this occasion to improve relations between Japan and China and Japan and South Korea,” Mr Shiozaki said, referring to the end of Mr Koizumi’s administration. “It is important for all sides to work toward enabling bilateral summits to take place like they used to.”
Taro Aso, Japanese foreign minister, said he was pushing for an early summit between Mr Abe and Hu Jintao, China’s president.
While Mr Hu has stressed the importance of closer ties with Japan, Beijing has given a cautious reaction to the election as prime minister of a politician known for his nationalist views.
People close to Mr Abe say he is unlikely to promise not to visit the Yasukuni shrine even in order to secure what would be seen as a huge foreign policy breakthrough. Mr Abe paid a secret visit to the shrine in April, when he was chief cabinet secretary.
Mr Aso suggested Tokyo would try to extricate itself from the shrine controversy by remaining vague on the issue. “Not making clear whether one went or will go to Yasukuni is one option.”
However, the People’s Daily cited Mr Abe’s “vagueness strategy” as reason to doubt his desire for better ties.
“Since there is a split character to Abe’s stance on improving Asian diplomacy, it can be said that the obstacles in Sino-Japanese political relations have not yet been cleared,” it said. “The trend of Japan’s ties with its Asian neighbours still contains disturbing tensions and lurking dangers.”
Given anti-Japanese sentiment in China, it could be risky for Mr Hu to agree to a summit or official visit without a commitment from Mr Abe not to visit Yasukuni.
“A summit is not something that is impossible, but it is very difficult,” said Jin Linbo of the China Institute of International Studies.
A gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum in Hanoi in November could offer a venue for a relatively low-key meeting.
Mr Abe has said he would like the first country he visits as prime minister to be in Asia, raising speculation he will want to press for an early trip to Beijing.
日本新内阁吁召开日中峰会
日本新任首相安倍晋三(Shinzo Abe)的政府昨日提高了日中关系正常化的呼声，内阁官房长官盐崎恭久(Yasuhisa Shiozaki)呼吁召开双边峰会。
然而，中国则强调了召开峰会面临的困难。中共机关报《人民日报》(People’s Daily)称：“中日政治关系的障碍仍未清除”。
为抗议日本前首相小泉纯一郎(Junichiro Koizumi)参拜引起争议的靖国神社(Yasukuni shrine)，中国一直拒绝与日本元首举行峰会。小泉此举也同样令日韩关系降温。
“我们应利用这次机会，改善日中及日韩关系。”盐崎恭久在谈到小泉执政期结束时表示。“各方共同努力，让双边峰会像往常那样举行，这点很重要。”
中国国家主席胡锦涛强调了增强中日关系的重要性，但对于一位以民族主义观点而闻名的政治家当选日本首相，中国政府做出的反应是谨慎的。
接近安倍的人士表示，即便为获得被视为外交政策上的巨大突破，安倍也不大可能为此做出不参拜靖国神社的承诺。今年4月，时任内阁官房长官的安倍曾秘密参拜靖国神社。
安倍曾表示，日本政府可以通过模糊处理，摆脱靖国神社争议的困扰。“可以选择不说明某人是否曾经或将会参拜靖国神社。”
然而，《人民日报》以安倍的“模糊战术”为由，对其改善两国关系的愿望提出质疑。
鉴于中国的反日情绪，若在安倍尚未承诺不参拜靖国神社的情况下，胡锦涛就同意召开峰会或对日本进行正式访问，对胡锦涛来说，那可能是危险的。
安倍曾表示，他希望自己出任首相后访问的第一个国家是在亚洲，这引发了外界猜测，认为他想争取早日访问北京。
