No Smile Reconciliation

Without a slight of smile on their faces, both leaders of Japan and China appealed their willingness of improving bilateral relationship by shaking hands in front of TV cameras. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a meeting in Beijing for the first time. The meeting was held in a situation that both nations had sharply been opposing over sovereignty on Senkaku Islands. The result was limited to sharing recognition that they needed to build up communication system to avoid unintended collision over the island.

It was the first time for the top leaders of both nations to meet since former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in May 2012. Not only Senkaku issue but visiting Yasukuni Shrine or historical revisionism of Abe made the bilateral relationship difficult to the extent of highest tension since the end of the Cold War. The meeting was held with request from Japan side.

Abe asked Xi not to worsen their bilateral relationship. “Although the both have individual problems, we need to avoid wholly eroding the relationship by them,” told Abe “and I want to improve our relationship with Presidnet Xi, taking opportunity of this meeting.”

Xi approved Abe’s recognition that China’s peaceful promotion was a good opportunity for international society and Japan. “This is the first step and I will eventually make efforts to improve the relationship,” told Xi. But on historical issue, Xi explained it as “a matter of sentiment of 1.3 billions of Chinese people.” “Japan can build friendly relationship with Asian nations only through abiding by promises of former Japanese governments including Murayama Statement,” told Xi, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The agreement included development of the relationship based on a concept of “strategic reciprocal relationship,” the concept which Abe confirmed with China in his first administration, and generating official negotiation for activation of maritime communication mechanism in order to avoid unintended collision around Senkaku. Abe also required deeper economic relationship and mutual understanding between both nations.

United States recognized as the meeting as preferable for regional stability in East Asia. But South Korea, which has firmly rejected bilateral top leaders talk, looked sober on the news of summit meeting between Japan and China.

Having the relationship been on the starting point of improvement, it is unclear whether the both country will reach a goal. It is likely that Chinese ships are sticking around Senkaku and Japanese coast guard is defensive on their activities. Nothing will substantially changes with the summit talk.