No breakthrough in two days of talks between U.S. and Chinese top diplomats in Alaska through Friday may herald a deterioration in Sino-Japanese relations, which had seen an improvement over the last few years.
The first high-level in-person meeting since the change in U.S. administration in January underscored the two major powers have been deeply divided over human rights and security issues, sparking speculation that a "new Cold War" would escalate ahead.
As democratic forces centered on the United States are likely to be decoupled further from those intimate with communist-led China, Japan, one of the closest U.S. allies, will face a dilemma on how to get along with its big, crucial neighbor.