War of words heats up China, Japan tensions

 

Surprise, surprise, Japan and China are still not getting along.

Fortunately, the battles have been strictly rhetorical, although both nations' military vessels and aircraft have navigated and scrambled ominously in the vicinity of the disputed islets in the East China Sea known as the Diaoyu islands in China and the Senkakus in Japan. But the bilateral spat could easily escalate over a miscalculation by officers on the scene.

It's easy to forget that last week the two nations marked the 35th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Under the circumstances, the lack of fanfare is understandable but it does seem a timely reminder of what might be possible. While diplomacy has not been effective yet in reviving that spirit of amity, damping down tensions, or in securing a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, finding a formula to execute a mutually acceptable climb down is essential to jump-start dialogue. Leaders of nations can help by shelving the bombast. Dialogue continues behind the scenes but this is against the backdrop of frosty admonitions and dangerous posturing.

Is it possible to dial down the rhetoric and serve up a summit? Not anytime soon. Last month, President Xi warned Japan about its truculent stance on the disputed territories and, along with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, cold-shouldered Prime Minister Abe at regional conferences in October. Abe has stayed away from the Yasukuni Shrine -- a controversial monument to Japan's war dead -- but this olive branch has not been seized, and advisers say he will visit by the year's end, ensuring the impasse continues.