IF THEY REALLY WANT RELATIONS WITH CHINA to substantially improve, earnestness to build political trust is needed from the Japanese government and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. But we doubt that Abe and his cabinet have it.

In a written reply to Japanese Innovation Party lawmaker Nobuhiko Isaka, the Japanese cabinet denied that there is a dispute over the Diaoyu Islands and said that the Japanese government's stance on the islands will not change. The reply also said that the visit by the prime minister to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is among the "political difficulties" Japan and China have agreed to overcome.

The four-point consensus both governments reached, after Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and visiting Japanese National Security Advisor Shotaro Yachi met early this month, emphasizes that both sides will follow the principles and spirit of the four political documents between the two countries and continue to develop the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit.