It is naturally welcome that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan and President Hu Jintao of China reaffirmed in Jakarta that friendly Japan-China relations are desirable not only for the two countries but also for Asia at large. It is beyond doubt that good Japan-China relations promote peace and prosperity in this region. This objective, however, is achievable only through faithful endeavors by the two countries concerned.
Serious concern remains with regard to the statement made by Hu at his press conference following his meeting with Koizumi -- that Japan needs to "correctly address the history issue and prove this by deed."
We are aware that this statement is for domestic consumption in China where the leadership is fearful that "patriotic movements" of youths sharing information over the Internet could morph into antigovernment protests.