The U.S.-China relationship will be inextricably linked in the future.

 

Mutually dependent and beneficial relations are expected to deepen between both countries.

 

However, I don’t think that the U.S. and China will connect with each other unconditionally.

 

While deepening their mutually dependent relations, these countries will compete against each other in many respects. If they forcibly confronted each other directly, it would be the end of the world. The U.S. and China are able to maintain their balance because Japan exists between them as a buffer. Without Japan in-between, the countries would have a relationship that is too close for comfort, that is to say, they would be separated by only a narrow strip of water. Their interests would conflict directly.

 

For both the U.S. and China, maintaining the present conditions of the U.S.-Japan relationship is most convenient from various perspectives: geological conditions, economic reasons and the issue of political positions.

 

Geographically speaking, for the U.S., Japan is its core site in Asia. If the U.S. were to lose Japan, its relationship with China would weaken. Economically speaking, China and Japan tend to occupy a similar position versus the U.S., and therefore, the two countries would tend to become competitive. Politically speaking, Japan and the U.S. share the same position. Japan and the U.S. share many things in terms of their strategies. This relationship could not be overturned in a day.

 

The balance of the Far East is maintained because Japan has a pro-U.S. stance. This balance also applies to the relationship between the U.S. and Russia, as well as between Russia and China.

Every country has its own territorial issues. A territorial issue is a national boundary issue. But it should not ever be allowed to develop into a military issue. Once it does, the territorial issue would spiral out of control.

 

Territorial issues should be restrained as political or economic issues. And with regard to resources, too, cooperation would mutually benefit the nations involved in such areas as funds, human resources and technology.

 

After all, the foundation of a nation’s wealth should be proportional to its population. Now we are seeing a period of transition.

 

It is necessary for China and Japan to establish their relationships beyond simple love and hate by acting as mature states.

Japan is located as the keystone for three countries, the U.S., China and Russia. Japan should face up to this reality and play its role rationally.

 

Japan is clearly the keystone for the security of the Far East. If Japan’s politics or its economy were to fall apart, the security of the Far East would at once flow out of control.

 

The U.S., China and Russia would be involved in a three-way struggle.

 

The security of the region can be maintained because Japan is a wedge thrust into the Far East by the U.S.