Former Ambassador Shares His Views on Sino-Japanese Relations

By+ZHANG+LIJUAN

JAPANS former ambassador to China， Uichiro Niwa， has urged Japan and China to improve their relations. The crux of Japan-China ties lies in the two neighbors moves toward improving their relations， he said in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

China Daily： What are your thoughts on your ambassadorship in China， as the first ambassador to the country from a nondiplomatic background？

Uichiro Niwa： When I was assigned as the first ambassador to China from the private sector， I was intent on lending an ear to people in China. My words had displeased some politicians because we had political differences. Actually， bureaucrats in Japans Foreign Ministry had no idea of， and were hesitant to address the opinions of people in China. So I failed to relay sufficient thoughts of Chinese people to Japans government. I have always proposed that people from the private sector serve as ambassadors to China. But the government does not take to this idea. I hope Japans ambassadors after me will avail themselves of local opinions.

China Daily： The Sino-Japanese relationship， which has ups and downs， is now taking a turn for the better. What knots are there in the ties？

Uichiro Niwa： Relations are taking a favorable turn mainly because of Chinas moves. The Chinese government under the leadership of President Xi Jinping is thinking about dealing with Japan from a long-term strategic perspective. Now the ball is in Japans court. Japan needs to respond.

Two reasons underpin Chinas subtle approach to Japan. President Barack Obama has invited President Xi to visit the United States， and China has invited leaders of other Asian countries to observe its ceremonies on September 3 commemorating the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression， including a military parade. China is more confident when dealing with Japan.

China Daily： The world will observe the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II this year. Unfortunately， the war still haunts East Asia， now and then sabotaging Japans relations with its neighbors and others. How do you perceive the history issue？

Uichiro Niwa： The history issue has been debated. The crux of the matter of Japan-China relations lies in the two countries moves toward improving their ties. By treating the other side as an enemy， they provoke and cast the other side in the worst possible light. During the era of （late Chinese leaders） Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai， they proposed avoiding conflict in the interests of common development. This is the mindset Japan and China should adopt for handling ties with more ardor and passion. The history issue is only a part of the two countries problem.endprint

China Daily： Surveys show fewer people in China and Japan have favorable opinions of the other side. But a large number of Chinese tourists visit Japan， and quite a few Japanese tour China. What kind of people-to-people exchanges should take place for a better relationship？

Uichiro Niwa： The large influx of Chinese tourists into Japan is due to a weaker yen. Surveys found that only two to three percent of Chinese people have visited Japan or have knowledge of Japan. Some 20 percent of people in Japan have an understanding of China. In other words， 20 to 30 million people combined in the two countries have had direct exchanges.

Japan and China need to have more people-to-people exchanges. They should make efforts to expand the channels for exchange， including relaxing visa restrictions. They need to adjust their policies so that friendship among their citizens will come naturally. They should do their utmost to invite people from each others countries.

If 30 to 40 percent of people in the two countries have favorable opinions of the other side， those opinions will spread. Now a chill grips the people of both countries — only about 10 percent have favorable views of the other side. I hope that by the time the tenure of Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang ends， the two countries will have endeared themselves to 90 percent of Japanese and Chinese people， respectively. That would be wonderful.

Most Japanese who have exchanges with people in China find the Chinese—compared with Americans and Europeans — easier to get along with.

Since taking office in December 2012， Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made Japan-US relations the core of his foreign policy and has come up with almost nothing to improve Japans ties with China and South Korea.

The Abe administration is always suspicious of the Chinese government. And the latter suspects that the Abe government is taking the path of militarism. Suspicions on the two sides breed distrust. Trust between leaders of the two countries is crucial to a better relationship.

China Daily： Some scholars in the two countries hold that China and Japan have few channels for crisis management. What do the two countries need to do when a crisis emerges？

Uichiro Niwa： This is true. Many Chinese students go to the United States to study. In 10 years， China and the U.S. will build strong channels for exchange. Few Chinese students know Japan well. It is important for Japan and China to exchange students and government officials. Painstaking efforts should be made to train people who understand the other side.endprint

China Daily： Many countries， including China， are closely watching the Abe administrations moves to revise Japans constitution and military buildup. What is your view of the constitutional amendment？

Uichiro Niwa： China is not the only country anxious about the move. The whole world is. Even people in Japan are worrying about it. Japanese people will never allow Japan to grow into a militarist country again. Japan is a nation of constitutionalism， which boasts three principles， namely sovereignty of the people， democracy， and pacifism. It is almost impossible to rewrite Japans constitution. Japan is not an authoritarian country and cant ignore its peoples opinions. But there is a political climate tilted toward revising the constitution against the wishes of Japanese people. Ultimately， I dont think the constitution could be rewritten.

China Daily： Would you take up the offer if the Japanese government wished to send you to China again？

Uichiro Niwa： No. My age matters. It is a job for a younger person. But Im willing to help them. A better relationship between Japan and China is in the interests of the two peoples， who have a lot in common. People in the two countries can shed tears for or be moved by similar topics. They share more culturally than they do with Americans and Europeans. I often quote Confucius and Mencius. Japan and China are so close geographically that people can even swim toward one another.endprint