Assertion without Evidence

As a cheap shot obvious for everyone, Prime Minister of Japan embarked on a blaming game with China. Shinzo Abe appealed to the audience of a discussion over election policies that China had set a condition to have a bilateral summit talk. The condition, Abe insisted, was some compromise on Senkaku. It was unusual that the top leader revealed actual process of underground deals in diplomacy. Nobody, except Chinese officials may be, could prove that Abe had been true. The lesson here is that even how a prime minister regrets his inability in diplomacy, it is unnecessary to get lost in maze without exit.

In an open discussion by eight party leaders on internet, Abe revealed that China had been rejecting the summit talk unless Japan accept some compromise on the Senkaku issue, indicating that China wanted to shelve the issue in the meeting. “We keep on saying that it is wrong. It is wrong for us to erode our national interest in trying to have a meeting with China anyhow,” told Abe.

Against his political resolution at the beginning of his second term as prime minister that he would rebuild strategic mutual favored relationship with China, he still cannot have any chance to talk with new Chinese President, Xi Jinping. It is highly unusual that a Chinese leader would never meet with Japanese Prime Minister, while he has been actively meeting with leaders of United States, Russia, India, European Countries and even South Korea.

It was not wrong for Abe to show his attitude of standing still without any compromise on Japan’s own territory. However, it was inappropriate to make an assertion in a way nobody could prove his sincerity. He did not make clear who brought that information about Chinese intention and how he had came to know it. Abe sent one of his advisors, Shotaro Yachi to China this month. But, Yachi brought no news, indicating the visit was fruitless.

Without any progress in relationship with China, Some kind of private diplomacy of veterans has been reported. Former Chief Cabinet Secretary, Hiromu Nonaka, met with a high official of Chinese government, reconfirming that there had been a mutual understanding of shelving Senkaku issue between Japan and China. With nobody’s request in Japan, former premier Yukio Hatoyama visited China and told his understanding that Senkaku should be returned to China.

All those actions were made with frustrations of them against Abe’s inability in diplomacy. Even how Abe blames Chinese attitude, those frustrations will not be diminished until he has a meeting.