Sixty years have passed since the end of World War II, Japan's economy has been ranked second in the world. But, to date, Japan still has not laid down its historical burden, it's still difficult for it to realize its dream of a "political power". Where's the reason? With this question in mind, People's Daily Overseas Edition specially interviewed four experts on the Japan issue.

The four experts are: Yao Wenli and Gao Hong, both researchers with the Japan Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Fan Yongming, researcher with the Center for Japanese Studies of Fudan University and Zhou Xiaojing, researcher with the Development Research Center of the State Council.

Question: For a period of time, "chill politics and hot economy" has almost become a synonym of China-Japan relationship. Earlier, Japanese media made a great fuss about exchanging Japan's ambassador to China. As an important link in the Asian and even the world pattern, in your opinion, how would Japan-China relations develop?

Yao: The "chill politics and hot economy" phenomenon stems from the complexity of China-Japan relationship.

First of all, it is the result of the strategic collision of the two countries. The tendency of China being an economic power and Japan a political power has become increasingly obvious. With the enhancement of mutual strategic suspicions and competitive awareness, the clash of interests, national psychological contests as well as the adjustments of mindsets of nationals between the two countries cannot be resolved within a short period of time.

Secondly, it is the result of Japan's domestic political evolution. One of its manifestations is turning back the wheel of history and "looking back" on the question of Sino-Japanese relationship, particularly on the Taiwan issue, things showing Japan breaking its solemn promises from time to time, all these inevitably cause "cold politics" between China and Japan.

Thirdly, the strong economic complementarity between China and Japan and geographical superiority combine to bring about a good momentum for economic and trading cooperation.

Fan: The Japanese Foreign Ministry has denied the matter about exchange of ambassador to China, but "there's no smoke without fire." According to some Japanese media, this is an unusual signal, which implies that Sino-Japanese relationship no longer has particularity. At present, China is only one among Japan's many diplomatic target countries, even if one is not "an old China hand", one can be qualified for the job as ambassador to China. This saying actually reflects that the Koizumi cabinet has always been adamantly preaching its diplomatic idea toward China, which reads like "speaking out whatever is available, be it good or bad", but how large a market Koizumi's diplomatic idea toward China has in Japan's leading group still needs to be observed. Only a change to the "chill politics and hot economy" situation is the hope of the majority of Japanese.

Zhou: Chinese leaders have repeatedly pointed out that Japan's erroneous words and deeds on the question of history have time and again hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and this is crux of the "cold politics" in current China-Japan relations. As the saying goes, "Let them untie the knot they themselves tied", the key to breaking China-Japan political deadlock is in the hands of the Japanese government. As long as the Koizumi administration stops visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, be bold to look at history squarely, abide by the one-China principle in deed as well as in word, it is possible for Sino-Japan relations to develop in a rational and sound direction through dialogs and consultations. In the long run, the two peoples are the decisive forces that finally determine the development trend of China-Japan ties, even if the Koizumi government insists on its present practice, the two peoples' desire for friendship from generation to generation will someday certainly become reality.

Question: The territorial disputes on what Japan calls Northern Territories (Kunashiri, Etorofu, Habormai and Shikotan) and Tokdo (Takeshima) as well as Japan's attitude toward the question of history have always hindered Japan's relations with its neighboring countries, do you think Japan will possibly improve the situation within a short time?

Yao: The question of history refers to the series of problems left over by Japan's colonial aggression in modern times, they are caused mainly by both sides' differences in their understandings and evaluations of this phase of history. For example, the question of history textbook, some Japanese politicians' words of denying war crimes, Japanese Prime Minister, in the capacity as a high official, pays visits to the Yasukuni Shrine established with the tablets of class-A war criminals, etc. The root cause of the question of history lies in Japan's postwar incomplete democratic reforms and its lack of correct history education, the acceleration of Japan's politically Right-deviationist pace and the rise of the country's domestic nationalist emotion after Cold War have further aggravated both sides' differences in their understandings of the history issue and their confrontation in feelings.

Gao: The tension of Japan's ties with its neighbors lies in today's politicians' impatience in "throwing away historical burdens". However, it is precisely the practice of attempting to cover up their history of aggression to win over "an ordinary country" that has aroused the resentments of Japan's neighbors which had suffered the calamities of aggressive war, as a result, the history problem has time and again come to surface.

At present, the situation is by no means optimistic, because the strategic politicians holding leading positions in Japan's political circles insist on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine and they disrespect historical facts on the territorial issue of islands and on the issue of line demarcation in the East China Sea, so they have met with criticisms from neighboring countries. As long as Japan's mainstream politicians continue their hard diplomatic line, Japan's relations with neighboring countries can hardly gain essential improvement.

Fan: Most territorial disputes are linked with history issues. Without making genuine reflections on the history issue, it is impossible for Japan to fundamentally avert territorial disputes with its neighboring countries. Judged from the balance of Japan's domestic political forces, conditions are not available for changing this situation within a short period of time. The main reason for this is the development of the conservative deviation of Japan's political circles. Taking advantage of young people's weakness of being ignorant of history, some politicians make a big issue, passing themselves off as national fighters in order to fish for political capital. Given this, while laying bare these people tit for tat, it is necessary to do a good job in winning over the Japanese people, particularly the youngsters. This is not only a long-term, but also a highly skilful work.

Question: Japan-US alliance is Japan's most important bilateral relationship, as well as its diplomatic policy foundation over the past decades after World War II. After the Koizumi administration took office, Japan-US relations became warmer. How do you understand the role Japan plays in its alliance with the United States?

Gao: For a long time, Japan's diplomatic "two wheels" are taking "Japan-US alliance as the axis, and UN stage as the center", but the Koizumi administration's emphasis is inclined to intensify Japan-US alliance. What's noteworthy is that today's Tokyo in Japan-US alliance is no longer purely "getting a US security lift" as during the Cold War, Japan has its clear strategic direction, that is, striving for dominance over Asia. Briefly stated, Japan-US alliance is being changed from past "relations between father and son" into "relations between elder and younger brothers" To maintain its world dominance, the United States needs the help of Japan, this little brother, but from the long-term point of view, when Japan really becomes strong, the situation of "brothers quarreling at home" may emerge.

Fan: The connotation of Japan-US alliance has always been linked together with changed international politics. In the opinion of some people, if the Japan-US alliance during the Cold War period was aimed at dealing with common enemies, then the Japan-US alliance of today increasingly become a "Britain-oriented" tool. "To associate with the strong" is Japan's basic state policy since Meiji reform, "association with" is a means, fighting to be strong is the aim. After World War II, Japan's economy saw 10-year rapid growth thanks to US support but the miracle of rapid annual growth fluctuated for 10 years due to the revaluation of the yen directed by the United State. Regarding this, nobody can clearly tell whether the Japanese feel grateful or indignant. The same is true of the Japan-US alliance in which love and hatred are interwoven.

Zhou: Generally speaking, the Japan-US alliance is nothing but an extremely asymmetric and unbalanced alliance, in which the United States holds a dominant position and is the leader while Japan is in the position as a follower and appendage. As a matter of fact, there is indeed no lack of consideration of attempting to become a political power by taking advantage of the Japan-US alliance to "assume someone else's authority as its own". A most "profound" explanation of this was given in the statement of the conference of the defense and foreign ministers of the two countries early this year.

Question: Although Japan's dream of being a political power is growing stronger and stronger, its attempt to be a "permanent UN Security Council member" is full of twists and turns. In your opinion, what kind of pattern of international relationship with Japan would this refract?

Yao: For a sovereign state to want to become a political power and exert a still greater role and influence in the international arena, originally, it is irreproachable, but its aim must be perfectly clear, and its means must be open and above-board. But Japan's practices are incomprehensible and unacceptable. In addition, diplomatically, Japan adopts a tactic of associating with the distant countries and attacking the near ones, as an Asian country, it is not enthusiastic about the region's security affairs and economic integration, instead, it is eager to become a permanent UN Security Council member, it is impossible for Japan to win its neighbors' understanding and support such practice, and it is hard for it to realize its aim of wildly attempting to become a world power.

Gao: The snag in its way to become "a UN Security Council member" of course also contains the failure of Japanese politicians who attempt to "force a breakthrough" by "bypassing China" and thus are landed in a passive position, it also reflects that in today's international pattern, there is the pluralistic situation in which the relations of big powers are intricate and complex and the expression of interests are scattered and sparse, separate and combined. The United States' unilateral support of Japan to solve the cluster strategy of the G4, the stands and viewpoints of China and other Asian countries, the political contentions of other big countries all hinder Japan's efforts on the question of getting a permanent membership of UN Security Council. Japan wants to maneuver among various political groupings in the unstable political situation, it should first get a clear understanding of the "equilibrium point of loss and gain" in big-power politics, otherwise, a "forced breakthrough" based on its own wishful thinking will likely turn its long-cherished "permanent UN Security Council membership dream" into a "fond dream".

Zhou: The series of erroneous words and deeds persisted by Japan's Koizumi administration have hurt the feelings of Asian people, aroused the anxiety of major Asian neighbors, hampered various Asian countries' cooperation on regional issues and hindered the process of the integration of East Asia, so it is impossible for Japan to win the trust of Asian countries, and it is also impossible for Asian countries to support Japan to become a permanent UN Security Council member. The wrong words and deeds of the Koizumi administration have contained Japan in its effort to realize its "Un Security Council membership" dream.

By People's Daily Online