Commentary: True sincerity needed from Japan to improve ties during FM's trip to China

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida started a high-profile trip to China on Friday, the first of its kind in about four-and-a half years.

It is hoped that the Japanese top diplomat through his sincerity rather than empty talk will take concrete actions to improve ties between the two closest neighbors.

Before his visit, Kishida signaled that he hopes "to get the gears moving to establish a Japan-China relationship that is appropriate for the new era" through a candid dialogue with Beijing.

But recent facts have shown however that Japan is doing little to help mend frayed bilateral ties. It is hyping up the South China Sea issue at a foreign ministers' meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) concluded earlier this month in Hiroshima and enhancing its maritime forces around China's Diaoyu Islands.

Kishida's visit to China also followed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's offering and visits by other government ministers and lawmakers to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals during World War II and is seen by the victim countries, including China, as a symbol of the country's past militarism.

Such unwanted finger-pointing, irresponsible and erroneous moves by the Japanese government and politicians regarding China's rightful maritime activities in its territories need reasonable explanations by the top Japanese diplomat, if he sincerely intends to improve bilateral ties during the visit.

The Japan's sincerity is expected, either way, to be tested quickly at the upcoming G7 leaders' summit in Japan next month, based on whether or not the host will again hijack an irrelevant mechanism to meddle in the South China Sea issue.

To make his China visit meaningful and fruitful, Kishida should carefully learn the concerns of the Chinese side and viewpoint on bilateral cooperation in many fields, through concrete moves with a sincere attitude, rather than in a flip-flopping way.

Japan and China have reconfirmed recently the importance of frequent talks by top leaders to bilateral ties. Japan should demonstrate its sincerity in a way that is conductive to the top leaders' meeting and not let negative elements on the Japanese side scuttle such talks.

It would require Japan to abide by the four political documents reached between Japan and China in 1972, 1978, 1998 and 2008 as well as the four-point principled agreement reached in November 2014, and handle relevant issues in an appropriate manner.

Amid sluggish global economic recovery, smooth cooperation between Japan and China, two of the world's largest economies, is also productive.

China and Japan are important neighbors. Healthy and stable bilateral relations are not only in the interests of both countries and its two peoples, but are also of significance for the peace and stability as well as the development of the region.

It's time for Japan to show its sincerity and meet China halfway to make positive efforts to improve bilateral relations. Endit