Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was obviously hedging his bets when he sent a masakaki plant to the Yakusuni Shrine during this April's spring festival instead of visiting the site himself.

Abe is aware of the consequences his visit to the shrine would have had, so, he tried not to provoke Japan's neighbors by staying away from the shrine.

Still, domestic matters were undoubtedly on his mind, so he had to do something to appease his political supporters.

Sending the plant was his solution.

The Yasukuni Shrine is the place that is most politically sensitive to Japan's relations with China and other Asian countries.

It was former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's annual pilgrimage to the shrine that chilled Sino-Japanese relations for seven years.

Abe's first overseas visit took him to China. It demonstrated his resolve to "break the ice" for Sino-Japanese relations, and his conciliatory gesture was well received in China.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Japan six months after Abe's China tour.

The two visits are important, because China and Japan have reached consensus on issues of political implications especially, those surrounding the Yasukuni.

China does not expect Japan to push the envelope with this issue.

Since the two countries worked hard to "break and melt the ice", it is important to keep the momentum moving for the better.

China exercised great restraint when commenting on Abe's latest action. It cherishes the hard-won conciliation with Japan.

The past should offer a few lessons for the two countries. One of them is to take good care of their fragile, ongoing conciliation.

It is reported that Abe's second visit to China is expected late this year. This signals that Sino-Japanese relations are moving higher on the Abe administration's agenda.

The leaders of the two countries are clear about the political sensibilities of their relations: efforts are needed to prevent them from blocking the healthy development of their bilateral relationship.

(China Daily 05/10/2007 page10)