Former Ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa has an optimistic view about Japan's current soured relations with Beijing, saying things will probably be on the mend by cherry blossom season.

"Japan-China relations have entered a very difficult phase. . . . But I've been saying that by the time cherry trees blossom, there would be a warm wind and ice will be starting to melt," Niwa, whose stint ended Dec. 18, told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Monday.

Niwa, a former chairman of trading house Itochu Corp., said his view is not one that can be explained logically but rather is based on his experiences with China, the current situation and information he has gathered. "It is time for leaders of both nations to act calmly as wise men. And there already are such movements beneath the surface."