Defense Ministry hard to make Japan trip

China's Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday confirmed that Guo Boxiong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission can hardly make the trip to Japan because of a "work commitment".

The Information Office of the National Defense Ministry replied to China Daily in written form, saying that China attaches great importance to its friendship and cooperation with Japan, and the Chinese government had previously discussed Guo's visit with Japan.

The senior military official's trip was originally planned to start on Thursday and would have included a meeting with Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda as well as a visit to the base of Japan's Self-defense Forces.

Citing diplomatic sources, Japan's Kyodo News agency on Saturday said Guo's visit was postponed in protest due to the Diaoyu Islands issue and a scheduled meeting of the World Uyghur Youth Congress, which China sees as a separatist group, in Japan.

Previously, Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara reignited tensions between Beijing and Tokyo by raising the idea of buying the Diaoyu Islands from so-called private owners during a speech to the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

Satsuki Eda, a sitting member of the Japanese legislature and the Democratic Party of Japan's chief advisor, emphasized in an exclusive interview with China Daily that the Tokyo governor's plan "does not represent the position of the Japanese government".

"I think he just wanted his announcement to create a sensation, but it does no good to resolve problems, " Eda said.

Eda said that some Japanese always hate to see a friendship developing between the two neighboring countries.

"But only a few Japanese think like this. The majority of the public support an improved relationship with China," he said.

He told China Daily that the overall perspective of bilateral relations will not be affected.

The chief advisor of Japan's ruling party also reviewed the progress that has been made since 1972 and said he was confident in the future development of the Sino-Japanese ties.

Tokyo has been embroiled in disputes with China since earlier this year due to Japan's malicious destruction of bilateral relations, said Yang Bojiang, a professor of Japanese studies at the University of International Relations in Beijing.

"This year was widely viewed as a good chance to deepen political trust between Beijing and Tokyo, but the friendly atmosphere has been destroyed," Yang said. He thought the cancellation of Guo's visit was Beijing's response to a series of inappropriate actions by Japan.

"But both sides should prevent disputes from escalating into conflicts. Especially the ruling DPJ government should act quickly to block Ishihara's proposal in Tokyo's municipal assembly," Yang said, urging both China and Japan to keep their dispute "under control".

Major parties in Tokyo's assembly are divided over Ishihara's plan.

The DPJ, which holds the majority of seats, convened all its members on Tuesday to reach an agreement about the purchase plan, but a deep rift has been seen in the party ever since the conservative governor raised the idea, Japan's J-cast news network reported.

According to a survey conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun, all Tokyo parliament members are "racking their brains" right now to choose sides, and more than 90 percent of the 124 assemblymen are abstaining against Ishihara's proposal. Only seven gave their approval, four of which are with DPJ.

"My personal opinion is another matter. And I will not jump to a conclusion until the plan is proposed to the parliament," said Akira Miyazaki, the Liberal Democratic Party's secretary-general in the Tokyo.