One of the first tasks the new administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe needs to address is to mend bilateral fences with China and South Korea, which have been strained primarily as a result of his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine.
Abe should seize the opportunity to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit in Hanoi in November. Participation in that APEC summit will see Abe's debut on the international stage, and I hope he will meet as many leaders as possible, and develop good personal relationships. A multilateral international conference like that of APEC will provide leaders with a valuable opportunity to relatively easily get acquainted.
Japan's diplomacy has been conducted since the 1950s on the basis of three pillars: the Japan-U.S. alliance, a United Nations-centered foreign policy, and friendly ties with other Asian countries.