What occupies the mind of Prime Minister Naoto Kan more than anything else appears to be how to keep his Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) free from the influence of his archrival, former party Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa. This could very well be the root of inconsistencies and blunders that have emanated from his handling of both diplomatic and domestic issues.

Some Foreign Ministry officials fear that Kan did not have a clear policy for dealing with the collision last month between a Chinese fishing boat and two Japan Coast Guard patrol ships in Japan's territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands and the subsequent arrest of the fishing boat captain for allegedly ramming the patrol ships.

On Sept. 24, public prosecutors in Okinawa released the captain. Although the official announcement was that the release was decided solely by the prosecutors, it was obvious to all that it represented Tokyo's attempt to seek a political solution to the matter after China had protested strongly.