Foreign Minister Taro Aso suggested Sunday that Japan's soured ties with China and South Korea may not improve for some time, saying neighboring countries should not be expected to be friendly all the time.
"We should be prepared to a certain degree and not expect too much that neighbors should always be on good terms," Aso said on an NHK program, referring to Japan's failure to hold summit talks with China and South Korea.
Pointing to the relationship between Britain and France as an example, Aso said, "I think it is difficult for a small island nation situated next to a big country to avoid constantly being in a tense situation."