Mr. Kan, Mr. Wen hit restart
(From The Japan Times October 7 issue)

日中首脳、和解に向けての再スタート

Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Oct. 4 managed to hold informal talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting in Brussels — their first meeting since the row last month over the arrest of the captain of a Chinese fishing boat that allegedly rammed two Japanese Coast Guard patrol boats in Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands of Okinawa Prefecture.

In a welcome move, they agreed that it is "not desirable" for the bilateral ties to deteriorate, and that Tokyo and Beijing should "go back to the starting point" of promoting a "mutually beneficial, strategic relationship." They also agreed to restore ministerial-level exchanges, other high-level talks and private-sector exchanges. It is hoped that their talks will lead to an overall improvement in ties. As concrete steps to help ease the strains, China should release a Japanese Fujita Corp. employee held in Hebei province and lift restrictions on China's exports of rare earth metals to Japan.

In Brussels, Mr. Kan, in a frank but unusual move by a Japanese leader in a meeting with a Chinese leader, said that the Senkaku Islands are an integral part of Japanese territory. Mr. Wen expressed China's position that the islands belong to China. Historically, and in terms of international law, it is clear that the islands are part of Japan. To help stabilize ties and the overall situation in East Asia, China should show restraint over the Senkaku Islands issue.

Although the release of the captain left the impression that Japan is weak-kneed toward China, the latter has also suffered. Its attitude on the row over the Senkaku incident has caused many countries, especially Asian nations, to take a cautious view of China.

As one of the lessons from the row, Japan should make serious efforts to diversify the sources of imports of vital resources such as rare earth metals. It also should be well prepared for similar incidents in the future. More importantly, it should make continuous efforts to have close communication with the United States and China.

ベルギーでのASEM首脳会議に出席した菅首相は中国の温家宝首相と非公式に会談した。両者が顔を合わせるのは中国漁船衝突事件以降初めて。

両首脳は、日中関係悪化は｢好ましくない｣、｢戦略的互恵関係｣の進展という｢原点に戻る｣という認識で一致。ハイレベル協議や民間交流の復活も確認した。

菅首相は率直に、また日本の首相では珍しく、中国の首相に対し尖閣諸島は日本固有の領土だと表明、温首相も自国の領土だと主張した。

尖閣問題では中国人船長を釈放した日本は対中弱腰外交を印象づけたが、中国の対応は特にアジア諸国の中国に対する慎重姿勢を招いた。

日本は教訓として、レアアースのような重要な資源の調達先を分散化し、今後の似たような事件の対応に備えるべきだ。最も重要なことは、米中とのコミュニケーションを密にすることだ。