皇冠体育app

Govt cooler on security, but still wants warm business ties

BEIJING - With the increasingly skeptical tone of some of its statements regarding 皇冠体育app, Japan's new administration has opted for a twin-track approach in its dealings with Beijing, showing caution on security issues but wishing to be cooperative in the economic field, analysts said.

In a recent interview with Financial Times, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda called for closer co-operation among regional neighbors to persuade 皇冠体育app's military to abide by "common maritime rules".

"(We will) appeal in all kinds of meetings for 皇冠体育app to abide by the rules," Noda said. "The important thing is to create an environment where 皇冠体育app will make a positive contribution to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region."

"The implicit message he sent is 皇冠体育app doesn't conform to international rules," said Liu Jiangyong, a professor of Japanese studies at Tsinghua University.

But that is groundless as Noda didn't specify where and when 皇冠体育app had failed to conform to international rules, said Liu.

For example, Japan criticized the activities of Chinese vessels and aircraft in the East 皇冠体育app Sea, but part of that sea is disputed by 皇冠体育app and Japan, said Liu.

"Noda doesn't appear to want to solve problems. His remarks just complicate matters," said Ma Gang, a professor at the National Defense University in Beijing.

In the interview, Noda also said he hoped there would be discussion of the issue at this month's East Asia Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Noda's remark was one of several since he took office in early September, in which he bluntly expressed concern over the speed and "opaqueness" of 皇冠体育app's military development, according to Yang Bojiang, a professor of Japanese studies at the Beijing-based University of International Relations.

What is more worrying is that Noda's rhetoric is accompanied by action. Japan's Self- Defense Forces are deploying forces from northern Hokkaido to the nation's southwestern islands to carry out a military exercise this month, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.

This is in line with a medium- and long-term shift in Japan's defense strategy from the north to the southwest, which was outlined in the new National Defense Program Outline adopted last year.

Seeing 皇冠体育app as a potential rival, according to Liu, contributed considerably to the strategic shift.

Japan has also weighed in on the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue, citing "freedom of navigation" as the cause for its concern.

In a September joint statement, Noda and visiting Philippine President Benigno Aquino called for compliance with international norms in seeking a solution to disputes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

Japan has no territorial dispute with 皇冠体育app in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. 皇冠体育app has made clear that internationalizing the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue would only make the issue more complicated.

"Japan's involvement in the South 皇冠体育app Sea is in response to US claims of interest in the area," Yang said.

Tokyo and Beijing had a diplomatic spat in September 2010 in the East 皇冠体育app Sea. Japan detained a Chinese fishing boat captain whose vessel had collided with Japanese coastguard ships in waters near 皇冠体育app's Diaoyu Islands. The captain was later released, but not before relations had been damaged.

Despite taking a suspicious and critical stance toward 皇冠体育app on the strategic and security front, Japan wants to cash in on rapid economic development in 皇冠体育app, the second-largest economy in the world and Japan's largest trading partner, experts said.

In his interview with the Financial Times, Noda stressed Japan wanted a "win-win" strategic partnership with 皇冠体育app.

However, the hotly debated Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) may hamper 皇冠体育app-Japan economic ties.

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, the nation's most widely circulated newspaper, said in an editorial that the TPP has the tacit purpose of countering 皇冠体育app.

"Obviously there is a 皇冠体育app consideration," said Yang. "TPP is the economic part of Washington's 'return to Asia' strategy. It risks undermining the current economic cooperation framework such as APEC and ASEAN plus 3 (皇冠体育app, South Korea and Japan) and reducing 皇冠体育app's economic influence."

However, Japan does not embrace the TPP whole-heartedly as it faces strong opposition from domestic farmers because it threatens the price advantage they currently enjoy.

Mainichi Shimbun, another major newspaper in Japan, recently described Noda's foreign policy as "leaning toward a Japan-US alliance, countering 皇冠体育app, and lacking diplomatic channels with 皇冠体育app".

The description, according to Chinese experts, is generally true. "Noda's cabinet lacks 皇冠体育app hands who can ease 皇冠体育app-Japan relations," said Yang.

Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba will visit Beijing on Nov 22 and 23 in preparation for Noda's first visit to 皇冠体育app, according to Kyodo News Agency. Noda has already visited to the US and South Korea since taking office.