Abe will not yield islands to China

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Ida Torres in Politics with 1 Comment
Abe will not yield islands to China

Shinzo Abe, leader of Japan’s main opposing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said that he will not yield in a territorial dispute with China but will still be working to mend economic ties with the country. This was the statement Abe gave at a parliamentary debate held in Tokyo.

Abe criticized the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for its irresponsible statements about ending the use of nuclear power in Japan as well as its poor economic policies. Abe is said to be leading the latest polls and may likely be the new Prime Minister in next month’s election. Incumbent Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is set to dissolve the lower house of parliament and hold an election on December 16. Abe says he plans on increasing the budget for the Japanese Coast Guard to ensure that the country will be to stand firm in its sovereignty over a disputed group of islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

But at the same time, the former premier will be working to mend economic ties with its neighbor. He recounts how, during his time as prime minister in 2006-2007, he visited China and established a strategic economic relationship. The territorial row between Japan and China has had not only political repercussions but economic ones as well, with boycotts of Japanese products all over China. Abe claims that a good economic relationship is essential for both countries despite whatever territorial dispute they may have.

[ via The Star ]
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  • Trulahn

    Don’t be too optimistic that Beijing are going to be receptive to mending economic ties without Japan compromising on China’s demand for admitting that territorial dispute exists. As long as Japan doesn’t give in to that point, there isn’t much Beijing can do. The new leadership in Beijing is even more right-wing than now so the chances of them backing down is very slim. Besides, even Beijing has to answer in part to the voices of the people of mainland China. They barely can tolerate the idea of the existence of dispute so even if Japan compromised on that point, Beijing will still need to sell that to its people and it’s not going to be an easy sale. Without that, even if Beijing gives the nod, Chinese consumers may not take the deal and may still continue to boycott Japanese products.