Brisk demand for Japanese goods in China is becoming a major driving force for Japan's economy, helping the nation as it struggles to shake off more than a decade of stagnation.
The recent good news for Japan is China's emergence as a massive market for products ranging from high-end digital gadgets to heavy-duty construction machinery.
That means China is no longer just an attractive manufacturing base with abundant cheap labor and low costs, cranking out products that are mainly shipped elsewhere in the world.