At a time when North Korea's erratic behavior has underscored the need for cooperation in Asia, Japan's delicate ties with China and South Korea have become even more tenuous amid increasing displays of nationalism by the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The latest cooling of relations, precipitated by visits over the weekend by several members of the Abe Cabinet to war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, has raised fears Japan will see its regional influence dissipate more as China's clout grows apace.
This week's standoff between Japan and China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, with as many as eight Chinese government vessels cruising in Japanese waters around the disputed islets for hours on Tuesday, has cast a further pall over dealings between the world's second- and third-largest economies.