Comment on "Japanese business leaders visit China" (China Daily, Nov 20)

China and Japan are the second and third largest economies in the world, and the two countries need to have a good relationship to avoid conflicts and establish a good partnership.

The reason an East Asian free trade area has not been able to be formed is the reluctance of Japan.

Till now Japan refuses to face reality and apologize to the victims of Japanese atrocities in countries like China, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Many Japanese politicians continue to honor and pay respect to war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine, as if this will compensate for Japan's the loss of face in World War II. To make matters worse, Japan has angered China by violating certain clauses of the "shelving disputes" on the islands.

But Japan's Achilles' heel is that 24 percent of its global trade is dependent on the goodwill of China. Without economic cooperation with China, Japan may enter another lost decade. This is the reason that top Japanese businessmen are in China to seek a detente.

Hwang, from China Daily forum

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(China Daily 11/25/2013 page9)