I understand that Japan provided aid to China, although I don’t know how much over the years.

I also don’t know the normal international practices regarding war compensations, although I understand that China did not ask for war compensations from Japan. I also know that many Chinese are or were unhappy with that.

While Japan may feel that China is ungrateful to its aid, there have been impressions among many Chinese that Japan was half-hearted in providing assistance to China and did not like to see China to develop or become strong and rich, although it wanted to benefit from some opportunities. Was that because of its insecurity?

In terms of security, it is understandable that China did/does not like to be contained internationally, with Japan as part of the containment and as the deputy of a superpower in doing it.

So both sides may have their own stories and reasons to feel unhappy.

But past is past and few can change the history. What is important is today and tomorrow. Both sides need to look to the future relations.

Countries should respect with each other, no matter rich or poor, large or small, strong or weak. The relations between China and Japan should be based on mutual respect and trust.

There have been periods when the relations between the two countries were good. Both should reflect on how they can have long-last good relations.

China needs to remain a peaceful nation forever and an important international force for peace and stability of the region and the world, even when it becomes very strong in the future.

Japan needs to realise that sooner or later China will become a very powerful country and few individual countries will be able to match its power, even probably the US.

So the important issue is not to try to use the US to contain China, rather it is important to establish a peaceful, secure and stable international order where countries don’t threat each other with force, as it has been so often in the past.

UN and some other regional forums as opposed to military alliance should be promoted as the mechanism to resolve any issues between countries. Will the alliance, even with the current most powerful country be always effective into the future?

So what is important for security? Every country needs to have a rational, strategic and realistic view.

I hope both China and Japan will choose the correct one and always have a good relation. They are two most important countries in the region. It is in the interest of each country.

At the same time, however, between both governments, I believe most bilateral business items from cultural exchanges to strategic talks are being well discussed at high levels, and the recent FM Nakasone visit to Australia covered them too. It could be said, both have enough interactions.

To get momentum back, agenda-setting for both governments’ official dialogues shall be important. Wider range of topics, such as development which is mentioned slightly in press release of Nakasone visit, they may want to discuss more deeply. The Kawaguchi-Evans committee on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament has seemingly not created a positive image of Australia, but it also could make Australia understand the GOJ position of aiming to achieve both disarmanent and credibility of extended deterrence.

Also, if both decide to discuss more on regional cooperation and future architecture, like, how to manage and fit China into the region with a better framework, avoiding giving them wrong messages, it might attract more attention. Australia’s unique position with China may merit Japan and other countries, and we have to use it from this angle. The Australian White Paper might have created the wrong message to Japanese, like finally Canberra understands China potential threat, so it is getting more important for Canberra (and Tokyo) to propose comprehensive, not-misguiding picture of future architecture.