Japan, China mark 50 years since normalization of ties amid tensions

Good news

peaceful relationships with your neighbors are the best .

Are they drinking on stage?

Even today for the 50th anniversary, China is shamelessly ruining the celebration by sending (armed) vessels to Senkaku.

尖閣周辺に１５日連続で中国公船

https://www.sankei.com/article/20220929-AHSXBJ26KZJD7AQGJ3ZHPOPER4/

Those flags appear to be touching, can we just get a little more space there…

Everything is happy go lucky when they are drinking sake, but when they sober up, maybe not so much. Lol.

Only for this occasion, Renho in CDPJ must have wished to toast even among LDP Oyajis

Another photo op? How long will these so-called peaceful relationships last?

To put this into context. Pew Research just released their "global" polling on Chinese favorability ratings for 2021. And here is the answer to the question "Do you have a favorable/unfavorable opinion of China?"

Japan (87% un, 12% fav), South Korea (80% un, 19% fav), Australia (86% un, 14% fav), the US (82% un, 16% fav)

Can anyone spot a trend here? lol! More "unfavorable" responses by percentage: Sweden (83%), Netherlands (75%), Canada and Germany (both 74% un)

...so, yeah! Keep up the good work, Dear Leader Xi! And...congratulations? lol.

It's easy to forget the atrocities that the Japanese committed during their occupation of China during the 1930's / early 40's. And, sadly, I do not think Japan internally, regrets these actions - such as the Right-Wingers regularly make a point of by driving their black battle buses around with speakers blaring sounds of crowds cheering their "Patriotic" slogans...

I guess, the same could be said for other Countries too - perhaps with less animosity though....

There does not appear to be a solution yet to this protracted problem... which will, inevitably continue onward for decades to come. .... Sadly...

former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade chief Yohei Kono, senior Liberal Democratic Party politician Toshihiro Nikai and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi 

China school's politicians lined up

I wonder if they got drunk and got real with each other? That would’ve been cool, after all the kabuki and theatrics were done. This woulda been the time to do it.

Maybe not , but I bet there was a couple of young guns from each side having some cheeky kampai sand even cheekier banter in the sidelines. At least trying to be friends is better than the alternative.

The last time I went to China, before we stopped doing business with our Chinese partners, I was surprised at how unbiased against, and interested in Japan the young Chinese people I met were. The hatred seemed to be part of the older generation, with the 20-somethigns and 30-somethings I talked to being way more interested in Japan, than having a problem with it. I was really surprised.

To put this into context. Pew Research just released their "global" polling on Chinese favorability ratings for 2021. And here is the answer to the question "Do you have a favorable/unfavorable opinion of China?"

Japan (87% un, 12% fav), South Korea (80% un, 19% fav), Australia (86% un, 14% fav), the US (82% un, 16% fav)

Can anyone spot a trend here? lol! More "unfavorable" responses by percentage: Sweden (83%), Netherlands (75%), Canada and Germany (both 74% un)

Ironically, Xi being a dictator who got really aggressive over the past ten years, may have been good for the world, as it alerted us to the realization that China and Xi are dangerous and our enemies, not our allies. If he would have kept his slow approach to Chinese domination, the world probably wouldn't have realized for at least another decade.

乾杯!, a phrase understood on both sides of the East China Sea.

A positive sign. A small sign. But, very good sign. The meeting could have taken place at a dinner table where, Chinese Ambassador Kong Yuanyou could have toasted Japan Business Federation CEO Masakazu with saki. And, Masakazu could have toasted Kong with rice wine.