Vice foreign minister heads to China seeking better ties

may take meaningful turn but only after controversial Yasukuni ceremony on 15th August.

Nothing says "We don't really value you highly" like sending over your second in command in the Foreign Ministry.

I'm really wondering what kind of game these politician are playing? I criticized you hard in public and later send someone to talk to you secretly.........

I am really puzzled, indeed what is actually going on.

Vice minister? Guess there is vice to talk about!

The minister is busy, here I offer you an underling. He is on a quest. Please humour him.

"The hawkish Abe, who cemented his grip on power in an upper house election last week, called on Friday for an unconditional meeting between Japanese and Chinese leaders."

Before going to the Philippines the same day to talk about alienating China. No wonder he has to try and send a minister on an apology tour. This guy will be the next Hirano.

playing all sides of the fence is national policy

The Chinese will view it as an offer to surrender.

Better ties, (like in neckties), yes. Better relations, no.

This smells of American diplomacy. The meeting with Korean Foreign Minister also is forced. So the United States have forced japan to accept such blackmail.

good to see if there would be progress on this one, unavoidable area for both countries and the region to prosper, eventually the world.

Japan is sending a high level person, Looks serious. S. Korea must be nervous now.

It is a waste of time. China sees any overtures toward "improving relations" as just a sign of weakness.

The Chinese have made their minds up long ago so why send anyone? They're Hell-bent on getting Their Way in every matter & are Not to be trusted Japan has gotten soft & like a cat toying with a mouse,They'll Pounce!

This is a great move, at least for starters. Hopefully something good comes out of it and the 2 giants can make meaningful peace and cooperation. Asia will be so much better so long as the 2 are talking and not quarreling.

It is only China to blame for this hatred. Do you see Japan doing 'anything' to China,I mean look at reality of today. China's new found power has only lead to aggression against Japan and everyone else. The people of China needs to change and so do their leaders that keeps this fire burning. The problem is solely China and their teachings of hatred against japan. No need to gloss over the, in our face, facts of the japan , China relationship. As we have seen, no matter what Japan says or does ,China keeps the hatred and aggression alive and striving.

tyvtgo1US, There is problems with Japan. Japan is supposed to be a democracy. But why do they allow right wing deniers to get to the highest levels of government and continuously attempt to revise Japanese textbooks to whitewash their war crimes in WWII? Why do Abe and 168 goverment reps still visit Yasukuni? China is a dictatorship with a host of problems. But Japan is supposedly a modern democracy. Imagine if German textbooks deny that the Holocaust ever occurred, or if textbooks here deny that slavery ever happened. Why is Japan allowed to get away with this?

tyvtgo1US. Yes it is all China's fault. In Japan they are taught to love the Chinese. They admit history as it was and do not do anything to annoy the Chinese!

Wait the minute here, Abe gave the impression that he is pro-right, and pro-glorious days of Japan, and insisted on nothing wrong with the Shrine and now he's re-elected so he won't visit it? I don't understand this.

What hasn't he said or done that didn't infuriate the Chinese and Koreans already that prompted him to care for such nuisances?

Just go with the visit already and stick to your principles. Have a little guts. Abe has already been labeled. Nobody will take him seriously or believe whatever tune he's going to sing otherwise. As the leader of an important nation, you cannot flip flop on these matters when you based your entire foreign affairs premise on you being right on your stance.