Mischief-maker needs to undo his mischief

However, the new Cabinet still smacks of conservatism. Most members, male and female, belong to the Nippon Kaigi, a conservative political group, and other groups that promote traditionalist and nationalist causes. Prominent among them are groups encouraging visits by politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors war criminals alongside common soldiers, something many ordinary Japanese find inappropriate.

Trotting the globe - visiting a record 49 countries in some 600 days, Abe still can't make a trip to Japan's immediate neighbors.

But it is up to Abe, to change that.

"Let the mischief-maker undo the mischief," as a Chinese saying goes.

Abe has put what he portrays as a threatening China at the core of his diplomatic and national security policy.

Abe's trip to Bangladesh on Saturday was the first by a Japanese prime minister in 14 years, while his two-day visit to Sri Lanka that began Sunday was the first by a Japanese prime minister in 24 years. He was visiting them now because the two countries are important bases along the sea lanes that link Japan with the Middle East.

The Asahi Shimbun said Abe's visits to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were intended to heighten Japan's presence in South Asia and an attempt to drive a stake into the String of Pearls, as Japan refers to the ports China has helped build in South Asian countries.

While Abe shows no inclination as yet to undo his mischief, Chinese tourists will no doubt continue to visit Japan and explore the beauty of its culture.

Japanese tourists, however, show no such interest in China amid the political stalemate.

The strained relationship has cultivated bad feelings the two peoples have about each other's country, and the political impasse has influenced the two people's feelings toward the other. The many Japanese people with ill-will toward China as indicated by polls may unfortunately shun China and fall easy prey to politics and militarism.

Yet the opinion polls show that more than 70 percent of Japanese people and 65 percent of Chinese people were aware of the importance of their countries' relations.

Seeing is believing. Visits by Chinese and Japanese to each other's nation will enhance understanding between the two countries and the two peoples.

The author is China Daily's Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn

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