Sino-Japanese Relations since the Rapprochement

Abstract

AFTER NEARLY A quarter-century of diplomatic estrangement and abnormality, Japan and China embarked on a new era of diplomatic relations as a result of the Sino-Japanese Joint Communique issued at Shanghai on September 29, 1972. The epoch-making event was possible due to a number of important international developments: the rapid thaw in Sino-American relations after President Nixon's announced intention on July 15, 1971, to visit China (or the Nixon shock as it is known in Japan); the seating of the People's Republic of China and the expulsion of Nationalist China from the United Nations in October 1971; and the Nixon-Chou Joint Communique issued at Shanghai on February 28, 1972. The Sino-Japanese rapprochement was also made possible by the more flexible China policy pursued by the Japanese Government after July 7, 1972. Following former Prime Minister Tanaka's historic trip to Peking in September 1972, several important steps were undertaken by Tokyo and Peking to facilitate normalization of Sino-Japanese relations. The Japanese Government closed down its embassy in Taipei on November 28, 1972, and established a new embassy in Peking on January 11, 1973, while the People's Republic of China (PRC) opened an embassy in Tokyo on February 1, 1973. By March 28, 1973, the exchange of ambassadors between Japan and China had taken place. The Japanese Government also carried out a series of negotiations with Peking for the purpose of concluding various administrative agreements stipulated in the Sino-Japanese Joint Communique of September 29, 1972 (e.g., trade, fisheries, aviation, navigation, etc.). Despite initial optimism expressed by officials of both governments, little progress was made in hammering out these agreements, regarded as essential for the full-fledged normalization of relations between Tokyo and Peking, until January 1974, largely due to Japan's existing non-diplomatic relations with Taiwan. It is the purpose of this study to examine recent Japanese-Chinese re-