Commonality or Confrontation? Sino-Japanese Relations at APEC and Beyond
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping stand side by side at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco Photo: AP News/Jeff Chiu
At the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this weekend, all eyes were on the United States and China, but Xi Jinping was looking to shore up ties with another country as well: Japan.
In a Friday meeting, Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida publicly declared their desire for a constructive dialogue between the two East Asian nations, despite their often-troubled ties. In support of a “strategic relationship of mutual benefit,” as Xi put it, the two leaders discussed a wide range of contemporary economic, political, and military issues. They also pledged to continue negotiations on such issues into the future, with Kishida expressing hope that Japan and China could emphasize “common interests” even in a challenging geopolitical setting.
Despite such proclamations, consensus was not easy to find. For one, China imposed a ban on seafood exports from Japan back in August, as the latter’s Fukushima plant began releasing wastewater back into the Pacific Ocean. Though an agreement was unveiled at APEC to review the ban, it commits only to further talks, with no specified timeline for an end to the restrictions. On the issue of Japan’s controls on exports of semiconductor components to China, regular talks have been promised, again without concrete decisions. Much the same is true regarding Japan’s concerns about the Chinese business environment, with Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura hailing “thorough discussions” to be had.
Xi and Kishida’s meeting takes place amid an ever-growing portfolio of difficulties. In recent years, the neighboring states have clashed on a number of geopolitical fronts. As Tokyo has further aligned itself with the United States, China’s principal rival, it has formalized its view of China as an “unprecedented security threat,” and is in the midst of building up its military as a result. It has criticized Beijing on numerous fronts, including calling for the release of a detained Japanese executive and denouncing a rise in Chinese military activity in the East China Sea. China, for its part, has called for Japan to handle its wastewater release in a more “responsible” way, and blasted its newly militaristic posture. The two countries also continue to tangle over a group of islands near Taiwan, known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China, as China’s navy has ramped up operations in the surrounding waters.
Japanese Coast Guard ships sail near the island chain referred to as Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China. Both claim the islands as their own. Photo: AP News/Emily Wang
Such disputes are not only reflective of the global situation; they are also connected in large part to how each country has come to view the other in the twenty-first century. A 2016 poll found that only 11% of Japanese citizens viewed China positively, while 14% of Chinese said the same about Japan. Both tend to view the other nation as arrogant and violent, while majorities in each country fear future military conflict. These opinions remain rooted in history as well; before and during World War II, Japan invaded China, committing numerous atrocities in the process. Today, Chinese respondents were far less likely than Japanese to say that Japan has atoned for these acts. Critical views of China prevail in the Japanese government as well: many officials see China’s confidence regarding Western decline as reminiscent of their own nation’s stance before World War II, and worry about its increasing centralization of power under Xi. These worries have fueled its pivot towards the US and allies.
Even so, not all are pessimistic regarding China and Japan’s future. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno referred to Xi and Kishida’s meeting as “extremely constructive,” commending the leaders’ “wide perspective.” Some also saw Xi’s reference to mutual benefit as signaling a return to better times, indicating positive momentum at the very least: the phrase was included in a 2008 bilateral agreement signed by the two nations. Additionally, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa confirmed that Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul would resume regular trilateral talks, which could beget increased compromise.
Still, few deny that the Sino-Japanese relationship is strained. “Even the nature of the relationship is unclear,” notes University of Tokyo professor Kawashima Shin. “The importance of top-level communication…is now at an all-time high.”