My first comment, and first in line, quiet daunting. I have just visited the P.M.'s Defence site,
me, a rural Australian township girl, never went past 11th grade Queensland High School, in After War years
but still fresh in the mind of my elders, the horrors of the Japanese inflicted on our Society.
Still, time moves on to an enormous amount of trade between our countries, which includes China.
Japan, like us, has used China as cheap labour, manufactured goods, especially. I have noticed a difference
in persons in official capacity, have one face for Public Diplomacy, and another for trade. The official
news reports will tell us there is friction between two nations, but behind the scenes, trade goes on..
Libya had a sanction on it for years re oil to USA.. No, they did not trade directly, just through the
British. (you can check with National Geographic 1999.)

They P.M.'s department offered an weekly update via e-mail, but some how a 60-69 female of
Asia situation (did not have Australia) with an e-mail address <elida@southernphone.com.au> must have
been too great of a defence risk. I am rejected, and left with an e-mail address to contact, as
.<nfojda@jda.go.jp> Hope you had better success.

Elida back to correct two points, I visited the Japanese site <self defence force> Henry Leong mentions in his article, and when I attempted to save an item, after regestering my e-mail address,it was refused, like it was an attempt of esponarge.
There I missed mentioning it was the "Japanese Prime Minister," and the e-mail address should read <infojda@jda.go.jp> which makes sense, I could have been an angry much wronged, Chinese woman. I am not sorry, for attempting to learn of their intentions. I do not know the correct procedure to ask for information of a foreigncountry'sdefence, as I or my computer has been identified as a potential "spy." I wish someone else would comment. Things are looking grim, like when I could not find anything in HighSchool, or Council Library regards
Japan, and Japanese Culture, back in 1979. Now we are flooded with their propaganda.

To me this article highlights just how little I know about the Asia-Pacific region. There is so much focus on what is happening in the Middle East that there is a tendency to miss what is happening elsewhere in the world. I think we need to be better informed of the historical and cultural issues in the Asian region which is poised to become a major player in the not too distant future. More articles like this one would be good, especially if it encourages a greater diversity of posters. Welcome to OLO ELIDA - I am not sure about your conspiracy theories. Usually if I can't find what I am looking for I try 'Google' and generally find a link or two that is useful or at least a starting point. Wikipedia sometimes has some useful stuff - try this for starters:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Japan_relations

Mr Leong largely answers his own questions with his observation that

>>The reality is that the Yasukuni Shrine issue is a thorn in the side of the Beijing leadership but it is one that is kept alive for material and strategic ends.<<

I remember being surprised during my first visit to Taiwan back in the mid-nineties to find that there was a substabtial contingent there that favoured re-unification with the mainland. "After all," they said, "we are all Chinese."

The subtext of course was that even back then, Taiwan was the biggest single investor in mainland China. What we overseas had been privy to was just the sabre-rattling rhetoric. Meanwhile, business - and cultural ties - told a very different story.

China/Japan, follow a very similar pattern. Both countries' cultures involve the complex issue of "face", which makes it virtually impossible for either side to back down publicly. What happens on a daily basis is of course very different, since trade is a mutually beneficial process.

The pot is kept boiling simply because it is just another item to be brought out onto the negotiating table at the appropriate time. Or as Mr Leong puts it "kept alive for material and strategic ends"

Similarly

>>Japan says managing its deteriorating ties with China has become critical amid warnings that military conflict between the neighbours could draw in the United States<<

This is another aspect of the same game. Japan is simply saying to China that they can call upon the support of the US if needed. Much as does Taiwan from time to time.

Whether this would be sustainable if push came to shove is open to conjecture. Which is just another way of saying that the stakes are too high for anyone to call the bluff.

Henry writes,"China is perhaps the only country that refuses to accept any form of apology and restitution from Japan, and willingly remains a victim of its own bitter memories."

I'm not sure that "victim" is apt. Nor is "the only country..." In my experience, Koreans are not exactly rapt either about any Japanese "form of apology and restitution" that has so far come their way.

Looking on the bright(?) side, because of their low fertility and unenthusiasm about immigrants, in 200 years there will be insufficient Japanese left to worry about, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4552010.stm

This might be a new first in human history: that a worsening political disagreement between two nations resolves itself by the inhabitants of one of the nations conveniently dying out.

I haven't read any other post to this article for fear it might cloud what I'm about to say. The Deficit spending limit was just raised by the American Congress to 9 trillion dollars. Japan and China are the nations to which America owes the most. In essence Japan and China own The United States of America. If relations continue to deteriorate between these two countries who has the most to lose? We do? So don't worry, be happy, America is kissing butt all over the world.