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| Chinese Leader Offers Hope in Japan Dispute | |
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| BEIJING — China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, offered Japan a conciliatory tone during a meeting with a senior Japanese politician on Friday in what appeared to be an effort to reduce the escalating tensions between the countries over islands in the East China Sea. | BEIJING — China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, offered Japan a conciliatory tone during a meeting with a senior Japanese politician on Friday in what appeared to be an effort to reduce the escalating tensions between the countries over islands in the East China Sea. |
| “The Chinese government remains committed to China-Japan relations,” Mr. Xi told the Japanese lawmaker, Natsuo Yamaguchi, in some of his first remarks on foreign policy since becoming general secretary of the Communist Party, according to an account provided by China’s Foreign Ministry. | “The Chinese government remains committed to China-Japan relations,” Mr. Xi told the Japanese lawmaker, Natsuo Yamaguchi, in some of his first remarks on foreign policy since becoming general secretary of the Communist Party, according to an account provided by China’s Foreign Ministry. |
| Mr. Xi urged both sides to “look at the larger picture” and “push relations forward,” the Foreign Ministry said, language markedly more restrained than the combative statements from military officials and state-run news media since the dispute over the islands erupted last year. | Mr. Xi urged both sides to “look at the larger picture” and “push relations forward,” the Foreign Ministry said, language markedly more restrained than the combative statements from military officials and state-run news media since the dispute over the islands erupted last year. |
| The encounter between Mr. Xi and Mr. Yamaguchi, in the Great Hall of the People, came after China and Japan began sending surveillance ships to the East China Sea on an almost daily basis over the last several months. Recently, both sides scrambled fighter jets in what Washington considers a dangerous escalation of the dispute over the islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku in Japan. | The encounter between Mr. Xi and Mr. Yamaguchi, in the Great Hall of the People, came after China and Japan began sending surveillance ships to the East China Sea on an almost daily basis over the last several months. Recently, both sides scrambled fighter jets in what Washington considers a dangerous escalation of the dispute over the islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku in Japan. |
| The conciliatory tone on between China and Japan did not necessarily presage an immediate thaw in the dispute. | The conciliatory tone on between China and Japan did not necessarily presage an immediate thaw in the dispute. |
| Instead, the new tone appeared to comport with recent remarks by Chinese diplomats that the dispute needed to be managed, a stance that contrasts with the barrage of belligerent statements against Japan by Chinese military experts and the state-run news media. | Instead, the new tone appeared to comport with recent remarks by Chinese diplomats that the dispute needed to be managed, a stance that contrasts with the barrage of belligerent statements against Japan by Chinese military experts and the state-run news media. |
| In their meeting on Friday, Mr. Yamaguchi, the head of the junior party in Japan’s new coalition government, delivered a letter to Mr. Xi from Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, that urged high-level talks between Tokyo and Beijing, the Japanese news media reported. | In their meeting on Friday, Mr. Yamaguchi, the head of the junior party in Japan’s new coalition government, delivered a letter to Mr. Xi from Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, that urged high-level talks between Tokyo and Beijing, the Japanese news media reported. |
| In a statement after meeting Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi also expressed moderation. “We would like to improve our future relations,” he said. “We believe Mr. Xi’s intent to seriously consider high-level talks reflects his desire for improved relations.” | In a statement after meeting Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi also expressed moderation. “We would like to improve our future relations,” he said. “We believe Mr. Xi’s intent to seriously consider high-level talks reflects his desire for improved relations.” |
| The New Komeito Party, led by Mr. Yamaguchi, has had longstanding ties with China, and is generally looked upon favorably by Beijing. In the Japanese political context, the party is considered pro-China. Its electoral base comes from a Buddhist organization. | The New Komeito Party, led by Mr. Yamaguchi, has had longstanding ties with China, and is generally looked upon favorably by Beijing. In the Japanese political context, the party is considered pro-China. Its electoral base comes from a Buddhist organization. |
| Mounting nationalism in both countries has fanned the tensions, which in part reflect the long history of conflict between China and Japan and bitter memories from World War II, when Japan occupied China. | Mounting nationalism in both countries has fanned the tensions, which in part reflect the long history of conflict between China and Japan and bitter memories from World War II, when Japan occupied China. |
| The Obama administration, worried about a collision in the sea or in the air that could lead to confrontation, has asked both sides to cool the situation. | The Obama administration, worried about a collision in the sea or in the air that could lead to confrontation, has asked both sides to cool the situation. |
| At the same time, Washington has made it clear that the mutual defense treaty between Japan and the United States covers an attack on the islands, which could lead to American military involvement. | At the same time, Washington has made it clear that the mutual defense treaty between Japan and the United States covers an attack on the islands, which could lead to American military involvement. |
| Mr. Xi, in a striking backward glance to the opening of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, said, “Like the older generation of leaders, we should show a sense of national and historical responsibility and political wisdom, overcome the difficulties in bilateral relations and push relations forward.” | Mr. Xi, in a striking backward glance to the opening of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972, said, “Like the older generation of leaders, we should show a sense of national and historical responsibility and political wisdom, overcome the difficulties in bilateral relations and push relations forward.” |
| Mr. Xi was clearly referring to the milestone in Chinese-Japanese relations when Prime Minister Zhou Enlai of China, after talks with his Japanese counterpart, Kakuei Tanaka, said the two countries should shelve the dispute on the islands and resolved it at another time. Japan, which originally took control of the uninhabited islands near the end of the 19th century, has said it never agreed to Mr. Zhou’s proposal. | Mr. Xi was clearly referring to the milestone in Chinese-Japanese relations when Prime Minister Zhou Enlai of China, after talks with his Japanese counterpart, Kakuei Tanaka, said the two countries should shelve the dispute on the islands and resolved it at another time. Japan, which originally took control of the uninhabited islands near the end of the 19th century, has said it never agreed to Mr. Zhou’s proposal. |
| Indeed, Japan contends that there is no need for negotiations over the sovereignty of the uninhabited islands because the islands belong to Japan. The islands were returned to Japan by the United States in 1972 as part of the agreement that transferred Okinawa to Japan from American administration. | Indeed, Japan contends that there is no need for negotiations over the sovereignty of the uninhabited islands because the islands belong to Japan. The islands were returned to Japan by the United States in 1972 as part of the agreement that transferred Okinawa to Japan from American administration. |
| Before meeting with Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi met with an array of senior Chinese officials in Beijing on Thursday, including Wang Jiarui, the head of the international liaison department of the party’s Central Committee, an important figure in China’s foreign policy-making apparatus. | Before meeting with Mr. Xi, Mr. Yamaguchi met with an array of senior Chinese officials in Beijing on Thursday, including Wang Jiarui, the head of the international liaison department of the party’s Central Committee, an important figure in China’s foreign policy-making apparatus. |
Makiko Inoue contributed reporting from Tokyo. Bree Feng contributed research from Beijing. | Makiko Inoue contributed reporting from Tokyo. Bree Feng contributed research from Beijing. |