Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's nationalistic views on history have disadvantaged Japan in its increasingly public fight with China and South Korea.

Harvard University professor Joseph Nye said Abe's reforms across the board are solid but are being presented in the wrong way, frightening its neighbors and ultimately complicating Tokyo's alliance with Washington.

"I thought Abe's defense proposals and his package was a good package. The mistake was wrapping it in an old 1930s wrapping paper. If you get rid of the 1930s wrapping paper, then you have a good 21st century program and it will be much less frightening to others," said Nye, former dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, during an interview with The Japan Times in Washington.