Unofficial Diplomacy Activating

A typical society for local young leaders born with silver spoon in their mouth in Japan is called Junior Chamber. In China, the Crown Prince Party, or Taizidang, has a great influence in current administration. Japan treated one of the prominent figures in the party with extraordinarily warm hospitality. That was because Japanese leaders believed that he was a close friend of Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and would contribute to improve deteriorated bilateral relationship.

It was a week later when media realized that the vice-chairman of All-China General Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Hu Deping, had met with Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe early this month. Hu is a son of former national leader, Hu Yaobang, and a long-time acquaintance of Xi as members of Taizidang. News reports assumed that Abe had told Hu his willingness for improving Japan-China relationship. Hu brought a photograph of him and Abe together, when Abe had been a secretary of his father, former Minister of Foreign Affiars, Shintaro Abe.

During his visit, Hu met with some of the top political leaders in Japan. Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, revealed that he stressed the importance of Japan-China relationship and necessity of maintaining it with overwhelming grip to get back to the relation based on “strategic reciprocity,” a concept which Abe explored in his first administration. Hu replied with his intention to tell it to Chinese leaders.

The expectation of Japanese leaders is Hu’s visit marks turning point of diplomacy toward China. Not only those highest leaders, Hu met other political and economic leaders in Japan, including former Premier, Yasuo Fukuda or former Chairman of the House of Representatives, Yohei Kono, known as Kono statement that expressed apologizing on comfort women issue. After the meeting, Kono visited China and met with Vice-Premier, Wang Yang. While criticizing Abe administration, Wang showed his expectation to progress in economic relationship.

Vice-President of Liberal Democratic Party, Masahiko Komura, is another non-governmental diplomat to China. Komura explained Hu the discussion over admitting exercise of collective self-defense right in his party. Komura is planning to visit China later this month or early May. The Governor of Tokyo, Yoichi Masuzoe, is also going to visit Beijing to discuss hosting Olympic games and cooperation in environmental policy.

All those developments between the two nations are still limited to unofficial level. Open dialogue between two governments will take more time. It is unclear whether Japanese right wing movements can withstand psychologically weak diplomacy against China.