SINGAPORE -- The feud between China and Japan over the contents of Japanese history textbooks, sovereignty of the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's periodic visits to Yasukuni Shrine came to a head in April when anti-Japanese riots broke out in some Chinese cities.
Since then, delegations from both sides have met in Beijing, Kyoto and Tokyo, but they have made little progress on resolving the contentious issues between the two countries.
Is Beijing employing united-front tactics to isolate Koizumi from Japan? In other words, is Beijing attempting to politically neutralize him while continuing to actively woo other Japanese politicians and the Japanese people?