Abe needs German courage

With German Chancellor Angela Merkel kicking off a working visit to Japan on Monday, Tokyo would not be its opportunistic self if it did not try to turn Berlin into a cheerleader for its bid to be a "normal country".

The Shinzo Abe administration is eager to elevate itself to the rank of Germany on the international stage and exploit Merkel's trip to doctor its ugly image on historical issues and obtain the kind of global respect Berlin enjoys.

But this wishful scheme is just Abe's pipe dream, says a Xinhua News Agency commentary on Monday. For starters, there is no sensible reason for Germany to debase its dignity and throw itself behind Japan's craven and irresponsible historical stance, to which China, South Korea and the broader international community are firmly opposed, and from which even Japan's closest ally, the United States, keeps a good distance.