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| Leaders of China and Japan Hold Long-Awaited Meeting | Leaders of China and Japan Hold Long-Awaited Meeting |
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| BEIJING — The leaders of China and Japan met and shook hands here Monday in a long-awaited and carefully crafted session designed as an important step in improving the two-and-a-half-year standoff between the two countries. | BEIJING — The leaders of China and Japan met and shook hands here Monday in a long-awaited and carefully crafted session designed as an important step in improving the two-and-a-half-year standoff between the two countries. |
| The meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minster Shinzo Abe at the Great Hall of the People was not intended to deliver any substantive progress on territorial and historical issues that have brought the two richest countries in Asia close to conflict and inflamed nationalist sentiments, according to officials from both sides. | The meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minster Shinzo Abe at the Great Hall of the People was not intended to deliver any substantive progress on territorial and historical issues that have brought the two richest countries in Asia close to conflict and inflamed nationalist sentiments, according to officials from both sides. |
| “It was the first step for improving ties by returning to mutually beneficial relations based on common strategic interests,” Mr. Abe said after the meeting. Japanese officials said the two leaders met for about 30 minutes. | “It was the first step for improving ties by returning to mutually beneficial relations based on common strategic interests,” Mr. Abe said after the meeting. Japanese officials said the two leaders met for about 30 minutes. |
| In an account of the meeting, People’s Daily, the official state-run newspaper, said Mr. Xi told the Japanese prime minister that it was “obvious” why the relationship had suffered and urged Japan to abide by the spirit of a four-point accord released Friday. | In an account of the meeting, People’s Daily, the official state-run newspaper, said Mr. Xi told the Japanese prime minister that it was “obvious” why the relationship had suffered and urged Japan to abide by the spirit of a four-point accord released Friday. |
| The two men looked subdued and almost deliberately expressionless at the start of their encounter. Their handshake lacked the usual bonhomie between two leaders posing for photographers. | The two men looked subdued and almost deliberately expressionless at the start of their encounter. Their handshake lacked the usual bonhomie between two leaders posing for photographers. |
| Mr. Xi had refused to consider a face-to-face meeting since becoming president in March 2013, but Mr. Abe, who was elected at the end of 2012, publicly asked in the past few months for the session. Japanese diplomats were dispatched to Beijing to arrange the encounter and to complete the accord released Friday, which is intended as a basis for better relations. | Mr. Xi had refused to consider a face-to-face meeting since becoming president in March 2013, but Mr. Abe, who was elected at the end of 2012, publicly asked in the past few months for the session. Japanese diplomats were dispatched to Beijing to arrange the encounter and to complete the accord released Friday, which is intended as a basis for better relations. |
| The Chinese, as hosts of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that opened Monday, realized they could not snub Mr. Abe during his presence at the summit meeting, and agreed to the meeting, Chinese officials said. President Obama arrived in Beijing for the forum Monday morning. | The Chinese, as hosts of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that opened Monday, realized they could not snub Mr. Abe during his presence at the summit meeting, and agreed to the meeting, Chinese officials said. President Obama arrived in Beijing for the forum Monday morning. |
| While there was no practical outcome of the meeting, it gave added weight to a four-point accord announced Friday, Japanese and Chinese analysts said. | While there was no practical outcome of the meeting, it gave added weight to a four-point accord announced Friday, Japanese and Chinese analysts said. |
| That accord said that both sides recognized they had different positions on the tense situation around the waters of the disputed islands in the East China Sea, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. It called for “dialogue and consultation” to “prevent the deterioration of the situation.” The two sides would strive to establish a crisis-management mechanism, the accord said. | That accord said that both sides recognized they had different positions on the tense situation around the waters of the disputed islands in the East China Sea, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. It called for “dialogue and consultation” to “prevent the deterioration of the situation.” The two sides would strive to establish a crisis-management mechanism, the accord said. |
| That Mr. Xi and Mr. Abe met gives a “kick off” to what could be an exceedingly long process of discussions over the future of the uninhabited islands, and the disagreements over Japan’s repentance for atrocities in China during World War II, said Yang Xiyu, a senior fellow at the China Institute of International Studies and a former Chinese diplomat. | That Mr. Xi and Mr. Abe met gives a “kick off” to what could be an exceedingly long process of discussions over the future of the uninhabited islands, and the disagreements over Japan’s repentance for atrocities in China during World War II, said Yang Xiyu, a senior fellow at the China Institute of International Studies and a former Chinese diplomat. |
| “The gaps between the two sides are too big to handle let alone narrow,” in such a meeting between the two leaders, Mr. Yang said. | “The gaps between the two sides are too big to handle let alone narrow,” in such a meeting between the two leaders, Mr. Yang said. |
| Talks about ownership of the islands would not start for a very long time, said Yoshihide Soeya, professor of political science at Keio University in Tokyo. | Talks about ownership of the islands would not start for a very long time, said Yoshihide Soeya, professor of political science at Keio University in Tokyo. |
| Since taking control of the islands from the United States in 1972, Japan has consistently refused to concede that there is any dispute over sovereignty. China says the islands were taken from them by Japan at the end of the 19th century. | Since taking control of the islands from the United States in 1972, Japan has consistently refused to concede that there is any dispute over sovereignty. China says the islands were taken from them by Japan at the end of the 19th century. |
| “Serious talks about the sovereignty issue concerning the islands will not happen for many years to come,” Mr. Soeya said. The four-point accord had effectively “sidelined” the issue, he said. | “Serious talks about the sovereignty issue concerning the islands will not happen for many years to come,” Mr. Soeya said. The four-point accord had effectively “sidelined” the issue, he said. |
| As officials and analysts from each side pored over the careful wording of the accord, both sides promoted their own interpretations, scoring points for their own advantage. | As officials and analysts from each side pored over the careful wording of the accord, both sides promoted their own interpretations, scoring points for their own advantage. |
| “Each side made the same amount of concessions,” said Kazuhiko Togo, the director of the Institute for World Affairs at Kyoto Sangyo University. “It prepared the gate for the two sides to walk through.” | “Each side made the same amount of concessions,” said Kazuhiko Togo, the director of the Institute for World Affairs at Kyoto Sangyo University. “It prepared the gate for the two sides to walk through.” |
| Mr. Togo said it would be impossible for Mr. Abe to announce publicly that he would not visit the Yasukuni Shrine, the large shrine in central Tokyo that honor’s the nation’s war dead, including convicted war criminals. Such a pledge would antagonize his conservative political base. | Mr. Togo said it would be impossible for Mr. Abe to announce publicly that he would not visit the Yasukuni Shrine, the large shrine in central Tokyo that honor’s the nation’s war dead, including convicted war criminals. Such a pledge would antagonize his conservative political base. |
| “Abe cannot say he will not go, but it doesn’t mean he will go,” Mr. Togo said. | “Abe cannot say he will not go, but it doesn’t mean he will go,” Mr. Togo said. |
| Some Japanese analysts said they believed Mr. Abe’s visit to the shrine last December was sufficient to satisfy his domestic constituency, allowing the prime minister to focus on developing a modicum of a working relationship with China. | Some Japanese analysts said they believed Mr. Abe’s visit to the shrine last December was sufficient to satisfy his domestic constituency, allowing the prime minister to focus on developing a modicum of a working relationship with China. |
| Even though the four-point document appeared to be evenly balanced giving each side face, the Chinese government got the upper hand, said Ren Xiao, director of the Center of Chinese Foreign Policy Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. | Even though the four-point document appeared to be evenly balanced giving each side face, the Chinese government got the upper hand, said Ren Xiao, director of the Center of Chinese Foreign Policy Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. |
| Japan contends that there is no dispute over the islands, and that it keeps total control. But the four-point accord’s declaration that there were different positions over the islands “fulfilled China’s requirement,” he said. That was a sufficient concession that there was a conflict over the islands, he said. |