Sino-Japanese ties have long been plagued by territorial rows, regional rivalry and disputes stemming from China’s bitter memories of Japan’s occupation of parts of the country before and during World War Two. Relations chilled markedly after a feud over disputed East China Sea isles flared in 2012.
Beijing, however, has stepped up its campaign to sway international public opinion since Abe’s 26 December visit to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is seen by critics as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism because it honours leaders convicted as war criminals with millions of war dead.
That strategy has helped China shift some of the debate away from its growing military assertiveness in Asia, including double digit defence spending increases and the recent creation of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea that was condemned by Tokyo and Washington, experts said.
‘Right now, this is a real war,’ said Shin Tanaka, president of the FleishmanHillard Japan Group in Tokyo, a communications consultancy.
Beijing, however, has stepped up its campaign to sway international public opinion since Abe’s 26 December visit to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is seen by critics as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism because it honours leaders convicted as war criminals with millions of war dead.
That strategy has helped China shift some of the debate away from its growing military assertiveness in Asia, including double digit defence spending increases and the recent creation of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea that was condemned by Tokyo and Washington, experts said.
‘Right now, this is a real war,’ said Shin Tanaka, president of the FleishmanHillard Japan Group in Tokyo, a communications consultancy.