Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to China on September 3, which analysts said signals Abe's wish to mend ties. [Special coverage]
According to Japanese news outlet Mainichi, Abe will visit China on September 3, which coincides with China's military parade to mark its 70th anniversary of the victory of World War II. But he will not attend the parade.
Abe's visit has been accepted by the Chinese government, because his statement on August 14 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II reflected the demands from Beijing to a certain degree, said the report on Tuesday.
China's foreign ministry told the Global Times on Tuesday that it remains to be confirmed whether Abe will visit China on the parade day.
"It will show Abe's willingness to improve the relationship between China and Japan if he visits China as reported," Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.
"Japan is suffering from a downward economic pressure, and the country needs to improve relations with China."
On the other hand, Abe's insistence on not attending the parade as reported reflects his conception of history, his unwillingness to break from the militarist past and reluctance to admit China's victory in WWII, he said.
China's foreign ministry expressed dissatisfaction over Abe's statement on August 14.
"Japan should have made an explicit statement on the nature of the war of militarism and aggression and should sincerely apologize … rather than being evasive on this major issue of principle," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a briefing on Friday.
The Xinhua News Agency also ran a commentary on Friday saying that "Abe's watered-down apology fails sincerity test" and that "no real reconciliation in East Asia will be possible so long as Tokyo is viewed as a denier of its past crimes."
Earlier reports by Asahi Shimbun in July said Abe has shown interest in accepting the invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, telling aides, "I didn't want to shy away when the invitation was given [from China]."
However, given the possibility of a domestic political backlash, Abe is considering the options of a visit either before or after the anniversary, the paper said.
