Outlook
Notwithstanding the Abe-Xi November summit, Japan-China relations are not likely to return soon to the “mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests” of the past.
The best that can be expected is very measured progress over the coming months.
Chronology of Japan – China Relations
September – December 2014
Aug. 29, 2014: Japan’s Ministry of Defense requests a 3.5 percent increase in the defense budget for FY 2015.
Sept. 3, 2014: Prime Minister Abe Shinzo reshuffles his Cabinet, appointing two lawmakers with close connections to China.
Sept. 3, 2014: China commemorates victory over Japan in World War II.
Sept. 6, 2014: PM Abe, while in Bangladesh, calls for summit with President Xi Jinping.
Sept. 10, 2014: Four Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2101, 2166, 2350, and 2337 enter Japan’s territorial waters.
Sept. 11, 2014: Second anniversary of Japan’s nationalization of the Senkaku Islands.
Sept. 16, 2014: Japan, China, and ROK finance ministers meet for first time in two years on sidelines of G-20 in Australia.
Sept. 19, 2014: Haijian 2101, 2115, 2151, and 2401 operate in Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus, marking the 42nd consecutive day of Chinese Coast Guard operations in the area.
Sept. 19-25, 2014: Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui visits Japan.
Sept. 22-23, 2014: Japan-China Economic Association delegation meets officials in Beijing.
Sept. 23-24, 2014: High-Level Consultations on Maritime Affairs meeting held in Qingdao.
Sept. 23, 2014: PM Abe calls for a summit with President Xi Jinping.
Sept. 23-29, 2014: Haijian 2101, 2115, 2151, and 2410 operate in Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus.
Sept. 25, 2014: Foreign Ministers Kishida Fumiko and Wang Yi meet in New York City.
Sept. 27, 2014: PM Abe calls for a summit with President Xi.
Sept. 29, 2014: Symposium on Japan-China relations sponsored by Genrron NPO and China Daily is held in Tokyo.
Sept. 30, 2014: China celebrates Martyrs Day as a national holiday for the first time.
Sept. 30, 2014: PM Abe calls again for a summit with President Xi.
Oct. 3, 2014: Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) fighters scramble against flight of Chinese intelligence aircraft in the area of overlapping Japan-China ADIZs.
Oct. 8, 2014: PM Abe, during Upper House Budget Committee meeting, tells members that he senses China is positive to the idea of improving relations.
Oct. 12, 2014: Hong Kong authorities deny port clearance to Chinese civic group attempting to depart for Diaoyu Islands.
Oct. 16, 2014: PM Abe and Premier Li Keqiang shake hands at Asia-Europe Meeting in Italy.
Oct. 17, 2014: Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Takaichi Sanae and 110 members of the Diet pay homage at Yasukuni Shrine during autumn festival.
Oct. 17, 2014: Japanese Coast Guard arrests captain of Chinese fishing boat for poaching red coral in Japan’s EEZ.
Oct. 17-21, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard’s Haijian 2101, 2112, and 2305 operate in Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus; on Oct. 18, they enter Japan’s territorial waters.
Oct. 19, 2014: Chinese ships conduct research in Japan EEZ without prior notification.
Oct. 21, 2014: China, Japan, and ROK hold consultations on cybersecurity in Beijing.
Oct. 23, 2014: Liberal Democratic Party General Council Chairman Nikai Toshihio broaches idea of removal of Class-A war criminals enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.
Oct. 24-Nov. 1, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard Haijian 2101, 2112, and 2305 operate in Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus; on Oct. 30 they enter Japan’s territorial waters.
Oct. 27, 2014: Chinese ships conduct research in Japan EEZ with prior notification.
Oct. 28, 2014: Japanese and Chinese private-sector groups agree to establish foundation to provide financial support to Chinese suffering from exposure to chemical weapons abandoned by Japan’s Imperial Army.
Oct. 29, 2014: Former Prime Minister Fukuda Yasuo meets President Xi in Beijing.
Oct. 29, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang tells reporters it is an “objective fact” that there are problems between China and Japan; he hopes Japan would face issues squarely with sincerity.
Oct. 29-30, 2014: Scholars and members of Chinese and Japanese NGOs meet in Beijing to discuss security issues.
Nov. 3, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2305 and 2401 enter Japan’s territorial waters near the Senkakus.
Nov. 6, 2014: PLA officers participate in an Asia-Pacific Multilateral Security Cooperation Program in Tokyo for the first time in two years.
Nov. 6, 2014: Japanese and Chinese police officials meet in Tokyo to discuss issues related to criminal activities related to drugs and cyber crime.
Nov. 6-7, 2014: National Security Advisor Yachi Shotaro meets State Councilor Yang Jiechi in Beijing to advance Abe-Xi summit.
Nov. 7, 2014: Chinese and Japanese governments release four-paragraph statement on bilateral relations.
Nov. 8, 2014: Foreign Ministers Kishida and Wang meet in Beijing; Kishida raises issue of coral poaching in Japan’s EEZ.
Nov. 10, 2014: PM Abe and President Xi meet for 25 minutes at APEC forum in Beijing.
Nov. 18, 2014: China’s Ministry of Commerce reports a 42.9 percent decline in Japanese investment in China for the period January-October 2014.
Nov. 21, 2014: Japanese regional banks hold business fair in Dalian.
Nov. 23, 2014: Japan, China, and ROK health ministers meet in Beijing.
Nov. 28, 2014: Japan, China, and ROK trade ministers meet in Tokyo.
Nov. 20-29, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijijan 2101, 2151, and 2337 operate in Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus; on Nov. 29, the ships entered Japan’s territorial waters.
Nov. 30, 2014: Chinese and Japanese authorities attend ceremonies in Jilin province to mark opening of facility to dispose of chemical weapons abandoned by the Imperial Army.
Dec. 2, 2014: Japan-China Mekong policy dialogue meets in Beijing.
Dec. 3-4, 2014: New Japan-China Friendship Committee for the 21st Century meets in Beijing for the first time in three years; Japanese delegation meets Premier Li.
Dec. 5-7, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2112, 2113, and 2305 operate in Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus. When warned by Japanese Coast Guard not to enter Japan’s territorial waters, Chinese ships reply that the Japanese ships are in Chinese administered waters and ask Japanese ships to observe Chinese laws and regulations.
Dec. 6, 2014: Japan Ministry of Defense reports People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ships pass through international waters between Okinawa and Miyakojima to conduct exercises in the western Pacific.
Dec. 6-7, 2014: JASDF scrambles in response to PLA Air Force (one Y-9, intelligence gathering aircraft; two Y-8 early warning aircraft, and two H-6 bombers) flights through international airspace between Okinawa and Miyakojima; PLA planes did not enter Japan’s airspace.
Dec. 13, 2014: China commemorates 77th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre.
Dec. 13, 2014: Japan’s Ministry of Defense reports PLA ships return from exercises in western Pacific passing in international waters between Okinawa and Miyakojima.
Dec. 14, 2014: LDP-Komeito coalition wins election victory in Japan; Xinhua warns against
“right-wing” trend in Japanese politics.
Dec. 14, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2112, 2113 and 2305 operate within Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus.
Dec. 21, 2014: Japan Coast Guard arrests Chinese ship captain for coral poaching in Japan’s territorial waters.
Dec. 22, 2014: Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide refuses to comment on reports that China is constructing radar facilities 300 km from the Senkakus, but states that the government is paying careful attention to China’s expanding maritime activities in the East China Sea.
Dec 23, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2166 and 2401 enter Japan’s territorial waters in the Senkakus, marking the 31st incursion in 2014.
Dec. 24, 2014: Nakatani Gen becomes Japan’s minister of defense.
Dec. 25, 2014: Japan Ministry of Defense reports four PLA ships pass through Soya Strait between Sakhalin and Hokkaido into the northern Pacific; on Dec. 28, the ships return to East China Sea though Tsushima Strait.
Dec. 25, 2014: Japan Coast Guard observes Chinese research ship in Japan EEZ.
Dec. 26, 2014: Japan’s Comprehensive Ocean Policy Office meets; commits to review policy to maintain remote islands territorial integrity.
Dec. 26-27, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2102, 2166, and 2401 enter Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus.
Dec. 28, 2014: Japan-China environment ministers meet in Beijing.
Dec. 29, 2014: Sankei Shimbun reports that Abe government will request funds for construction of three new Coast Guard ships in its supplemental budget.
Dec. 30, 2014: Chinese Coast Guard ships Haijian 2102, 2166, and 2401 enter Japan’s contiguous zone near the Senkakus; replies to Japan Coast Guard warning that they are carrying a regular patrol in Chinese administered waters.
Comparative Connections
A Triannual E-Journal on East Asian Bilateral Relations
Japan-Korea Relations: