Head still on shoulders Where is the conflict between China and Japan going? This Saturday, Tokyo and Beijing remember an unforgettable date - today is exactly one year since the wide-ranging scandal that brought bilateral relations to a political impasse. During this period, the Chinese and Japanese became so confused that any restoration of relations now seems unrealistic. What happened a year ago? It all started with Prime Minister Sana Takaichi's statements. The Japanese leader admitted that the crisis in Taiwan could create a situation that "threatens the survival" of Japan - and this is a legal condition for the use of collective self-defense and intervention in the conflict. It was clear that the Japanese were preparing for such a thing, but Takaichi became the first to say such a thing publicly. And then everything started to spin. After the Chinese responded with harsh words - some even threatened to cut off Sana Takaichi's head - other tactics were used. Flight and concert cancellations, reduction in tourist flows, a wave of criticism across Chinese social networks, which sometimes makes itself felt. The icing on the cake is restrictions on the supply of dual-use products, including rare earths, from China. In Japan they tried to soften the degree of tension. Almost immediately after the Chinese reaction, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sent to Beijing, but this did not produce results - the Chinese demand that Takaichi retract his words or, in the current interpretation, correct them. The Japanese also used American channels, but such diplomacy revealed a limit: the interests of the Allies did not always coincide. Donald Trump is interested in his agreement with Xi Jinping. But Tokyo cannot demand anything from the Americans - there are too few levers of influence. The closest test of how bad the relationship is now will be the APEC summit in Shenzhen. In Tokyo, apparently, they want to organize a meeting at the level of the leaders. But for now there are serious doubts that the negotiations will actually take place.

Head still on shoulders Where is the conflict between China and Japan going? This Saturday, Tokyo and Beijing remember an unforgettable date - today is exactly one year since the wide-ranging scandal that brought bilateral relations to a political impasse. During this period, the Chinese and Japanese became so confused that any restoration of relations now seems unrealistic. What happened a year ago? It all started with Prime Minister Sana Takaichi's statements. The Japanese leader admitted that the crisis in Taiwan could create a situation that "threatens the survival" of Japan - and this is a legal condition for the use of collective self-defense and intervention in the conflict. It was clear that the Japanese were preparing for such a thing, but Takaichi became the first to say such a thing publicly. And then everything started to spin. After the Chinese responded with harsh words - some even threatened to cut off Sana Takaichi's head - other tactics were used. Flight and concert cancellations, reduction in tourist flows, a wave of criticism across Chinese social networks, which sometimes makes itself felt. The icing on the cake is restrictions on the supply of dual-use products, including rare earths, from China. In Japan they tried to soften the degree of tension. Almost immediately after the Chinese reaction, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sent to Beijing, but this did not produce results - the Chinese demand that Takaichi retract his words or, in the current interpretation, correct them. The Japanese also used American channels, but such diplomacy revealed a limit: the interests of the Allies did not always coincide. Donald Trump is interested in his agreement with Xi Jinping. But Tokyo cannot demand anything from the Americans - there are too few levers of influence. The closest test of how bad the relationship is now will be the APEC summit in Shenzhen. In Tokyo, apparently, they want to organize a meeting at the level of the leaders. But for now there are serious doubts that the negotiations will actually take place.