Realizing the power the US still wielded, Hatoyama's successor Naoto Kan chose to reverse the previous government's policy and lean toward the US diplomatically.

Japan reaffirmed its diplomatic and security commitments to the US in July. Since then, it has taken a series of measures to strengthen its alliance with the US. Its participation in several US-led military drills in East Asia and the changes it has made in its defense plans because of its unwarranted concerns over China are part of those measures.

The situation, however, is not as grim as it seems. China and Japan have both stressed their willingness to work out a strategic and mutually reciprocal relationship to repair their damaged ties.

But to achieve that, they have to devise a joint strategy, based on mutual trust. China's rapid economic rise and increasing maritime capability may have caused Japan some uneasiness. But Japan's role in the US' strategy of containing China will make it more difficult for Tokyo and Beijing to build the much-needed mutual strategic trust. To remove mutual strategic misgivings, the two countries should view their development strategies in the bigger perspective of peace and development, which is an irreversible trend across the world, and plan their moves accordingly.

But China and Japan have failed to deepen mutual political and strategic trust despite their increasing economic exchanges. And although diplomatic disputes have not hurt their bilateral economic ties, they could hamper further development. The two countries have to open regular consultation and dialogue channels to understand the importance and complexity of their relations, which ultimately will help them remove mutual strategic misgivings.

At a time when people in both countries are particularly sensitive to provocations, Chinese and Japanese leaders should consider the pros and cons of making a statement or taking an action. Public opinion serves as the foundation of bilateral ties. So the two countries should make pre-emptive moves to prevent ultra-nationalist elements from fanning passions. In such situations, regular communication channels can control ultra-nationalist elements on both sides by giving the public the right information. The media on both sides have a big role to play, for they can build mutual trust between the two peoples by providing readers and viewers with objective, unbiased reports about the other country.

Since the Diaoyu Islands are at the center of the dispute between China and Japan, China and Japan have to take positive steps to resolve the issue. And the first step toward resolution should be the formation of a joint panel to explore a workable mechanism.

The author is director of the Institute of Japanese Studies, affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.