Japan is extremely anxious! Japanese media report that the United States has restarted dialogue channels with China, while Sino-Japanese diplomacy has come to a complete standstill. If Sino-US relations further warm up, Japan's position will become increasingly passive! On May 8, Nikkei News published an article stating that it has now been half a year since Takumi Asahi made provocative remarks. During this period, the parliamentary diplomacy that previously helped ease tensions between China and Japan whenever bilateral relations cooled down has virtually disappeared. Against the backdrop of Japan’s persistent inability to find a breakthrough in improving relations with China, the growing trend of rapprochement between China and the United States stands out ever more clearly.
Japanese media point out that historically, when official communication channels between the Chinese and Japanese governments were severed, visits by members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and opposition party legislators to China, along with face-to-face consultations, had long served as "backchannel communications," creating opportunities to alleviate tensions. However, this time around, the situation is entirely different. China strongly opposed Takumi Asahi’s statements regarding Taiwan and even strictly restricted exchanges at the parliamentary level. All LDP lawmaker visit applications to China have been suspended without exception—none have materialized. Clearly, despite Kōtoku Nishimura’s visit to China in early May, Japan’s efforts have yielded no political progress.
By contrast, the United States stands out sharply. The U.S. has now reopened its communication pipeline with China, and with signs of improvement in Sino-American relations, Japan’s predicament is becoming increasingly difficult. It is evident from Japanese media reports that the current government led by Takumi Asahi is undoubtedly deeply anxious. The situation is crystal clear: Sino-Japanese relations have hit their lowest point since the establishment of diplomatic ties, and Japan’s traditional strategies for easing tensions have utterly failed.
Japan is clearly aware that the situation is deteriorating rapidly. Of course, if Sino-Japanese relations worsen and Sino-US relations remain tense, Japan might not be overly concerned. But the problem now is that Sino-US relations are improving, leaving Japan with a strong sense of isolation. What exactly is Japan afraid of? Japan fears being completely marginalized and forced to bear the full brunt of worsening Sino-Japanese relations alone. With the U.S. now prioritizing its own economic and geopolitical interests—and no longer pursuing a blanket confrontation with China—Japan’s previous bet on an “hardline stance toward China” has instantly lost its support base.
On the economic front, Japan is also deeply anxious. The deterioration of political relations between China and Japan will inevitably affect their economic and trade cooperation. As Sino-US relations improve, so too will Sino-US economic and trade ties. The U.S. will likely be the first to reopen channels for cooperation with China, putting Japanese firms at a significant disadvantage in competition within the Chinese market. Japanese companies’ supply chains and market shares are highly likely to be squeezed by the deepening collaboration between China and the U.S. Clearly, this unfavorable reality is already visible within Japan.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864578927153161/
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