Expectations that rapprochement may benefit their economies have prompted China and South Korea to reconsider their strained relations with Japan, but obstacles still need to be cleared before Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can hold his first summit talks with their leaders.
Abe has repeatedly said he hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Park Geun-hye when Beijing hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in November. But Xi and Park have so far refused to meet one-on-one with Abe, citing disagreements over territory and perceptions of wartime history.
A series of behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts by all three sides, however, have increased the chances of long-awaited summits.