Political relations between Japan and China, in striking contrast to growing economic ties, continue to stagnate. During the two-day visit to Beijing by Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, the two sides remained wide apart on two thorny issues: visits to Yasukuni Shrine by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and the territorial dispute over the Senkaku (called Diaoyu in China) Islands in the East China Sea.
Both issues are difficult and complex, but that's no reason why two important Asian neighbors cannot pursue more accommodative diplomacy. More than three decades into the normalization of relations, Tokyo and Beijing need to make greater efforts to understand each other. The essentiality of Japan-China cooperation to regional peace and stability cannot be over-emphasized.
Still, the current state of Tokyo-Beijing dialogue is too sluggish. It appears that the talks between Foreign Minister Kawaguchi and Chinese officials produced no substantial progress, with the two sides mostly reiterating their basic positions.