Former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Saturday the time is ripe for Tokyo to strengthen cooperation with Beijing beyond bilateral issues so relations can get back on the right development track sooner.
"While the world is facing a period of significant change, Japan and China, both major countries with stable (political) foundations, are now given a golden chance to discuss, seek solutions and act together not just for bilateral issues, but also for those of Asia and the world," Fukuda said in a keynote speech at a forum on Sino-Japanese relations in Beijing.
Fukuda, who was prime minister for a year from September 2007, said China's rise is at the center of the drastic change. He said the two sides have no other choice but to help and try to understand each other for the sake of working toward a more peaceful and prosperous international environment.