FOCUS: Kan saves face with China, Russia summits, but way ahead shaky

YOKOHAMA, Nov. 14 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Naoto Kan may have heaved a sigh of relief as he managed to meet
bilaterally with his Chinese and Russian counterparts during an Asia-Pacific
economic summit, going into damage control mode after the two countries
challenged his government over territorial rows.
While signs are emerging that Japan may exit from crisis mode in managing its
relations with China and Russia with the bilateral summits, the Kan Cabinet
still needs to recover domestic public support that has been impaired by what
is perceived as ''weak-kneed diplomacy'' amid rising nationalistic sentiment in
Japan.
Of a series of bilateral summits on the fringes of the weekend Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum summit he chaired in Yokohama, Kan was especially
encouraged by U.S. President Barack Obama's assurance that Washington supports
Tokyo and remains committed to Japan's defense.
In his talks with Kan, Obama also sounded cautious about China, saying the
fast-rising Asian economy should behave in accordance with international rules,
according to a Japanese official.
But uncertainties swirl around the premier's diplomatic strategy of drawing on
American support in confronting the major regional powers of China and Russia,
as Japan-U.S. ties could face difficulties over the planned relocation of a
U.S. Marine base in Okinawa with a key gubernatorial election later this month.
Experts say intense focus on near-term diplomatic movements among Japanese
people, which reflects their frustration over Kan's government, risks ruining
long-term national interests.
They urge the premier to try to conduct foreign policy by stressing strategic
and longer-term gains.
Former Vice Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka said on a television program
Sunday that he thinks Japanese people have been too impatient with the
government led by the Democratic Party of Japan, which came to power in
September last year.
He pointed out that heavy Japanese media attention on whether Kan could hold
talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in
the port city reflects public impatience and that the DPJ government should be
given more time. Kan's meetings with those leaders were not set until the last
minute.
Yabunaka also said there is a misunderstanding among some members of the
Japanese public that China and Russia are taking advantage of the Japan-U.S.
security alliance which they think has weakened over the Okinawa base
relocation issue in intensifying pressure on Tokyo over their respective
territorial rows.
Medvedev hopes to settle his country's longstanding dispute with Japan over
islands off Hokkaido since he believes it remains as an obstacle to economic
and other cooperation between the two countries and is alarmed about the
populous China, he said.
Although he has gained public support for his remarks that are often
provocative to Chinese and Russians, Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara appears to
have turned to a long-term viewpoint recently as he stopped repeating Japan's
claim to islands disputed with these countries, probably out of diplomatic
consideration.
He even warned against fanning nationalistic sentiment to win short-term public
support in a recent press conference.
During the summit, Kan also seemed to be trying not to articulate Japan's
position on the isle rows, unless he was asked about it by reporters.
Looking ahead, it seems Japan has no other choice but to try to maintain sound
relations with China and Russia despite the territorial disputes through
boosting bilateral cooperation to the extent that any damage to ties is
considered to be too painful to suffer.
Akio Takahara, professor of modern Chinese politics at the University of Tokyo
graduate school, advised the Japanese government not to take any special
measures but to keep trying to strengthen its relations with China, so that the
two countries will be compelled to try to overcome any future friction that
could seriously hurt their ties.
On Japan-Russia relations, Tokyo Foundation researcher and Russia expert
Taisuke Abiru said Japan's traditional approach of promoting economic
cooperation in the hope of wresting concessions from Moscow over the
territorial issue ''has reached its limit,'' as Tokyo has so far failed to
reach a major breakthrough in talks over the disputed islands despite its
financial aid.
Russia tended to rely on Japanese aid in the transition period following the
collapse of the Soviet Union, but the country rich in resources now sees no
need to do so as a major destination of European investment, according to a
senior Foreign Ministry official.
Abiru suggested that the two countries explore more opportunities to cooperate
in regional and multilateral settings, where their strategic interests meet, as
he believes Russia basically wants to keep close ties with Japan as a
counterbalance to the rising China.
As an ideal example, he said Tokyo and Moscow should cooperate over nuclear
fuel supply to Vietnam, where both countries have won contracts to build
nuclear power plants, saying such cooperation ''offers a ray of hope to
bilateral negotiations on the territorial dispute, which have faced deadlock
with a traditional approach.''
If realized, such a project would be significant because Vietnam has also been
embroiled in a territorial spat with China over islands in the South China Sea,
Abiru said.
==Kyodo