Beijing, Tokyo must build mutual trust to improve ties

In February 1972, then US president Richard Nixon visited Beijing in an effort to improve his country's relations with China. Since it didn't get prior information from the United States about the trip, Japan was caught unawares.

Japan's foreign policy has been based on a close relationship with the US since 1945.

And since it didn't have diplomatic relations with China at the time, Japan felt it was being ignored while a new order was taking shape in Asia.