Tokyo has denied that the return of its China envoy from Beijing was a protest amid disputes in the East China Sea, stating that the ambassador went back for consultations regarding the Diaoyu Islands.
After meeting the Japanese ambassador to China Uichiro Niwa on Sunday afternoon, Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told reporters that he once again instructed the envoy to explain Japan's stance over the islands to Beijing properly, Kyodo News reported.
Gemba also said they did not discuss whether Niwa would be replaced during the meeting.
The envoy has been under fire in Japan following an interview with the Financial Times last month, in which he said plans by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to buy the Diaoyu Islands could spark an "extremely grave crisis" between Japan and China.
It is reported that Niwa will return to China on Monday.
The decision to bring the envoy back to Tokyo was announced by Gemba late on Saturday, triggering media speculation that it was Japan's countermeasure to the escalating rows between the two sides.
In response to the speculation, Gemba cautiously clarified that the ambassador's return was temporary and was not intended to be seen as a protest against China.
"(We) want to talk directly (with Niwa) regarding the current situation in Japan-China relations and his analysis of it," Gemba said in remarks broadcast on the All-Nippon News Network.
However, Kyodo commented that recalling a top envoy for consultations is often interpreted as an expression of displeasure.
Huang Dahui, director of the Center for East Asia Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that while the temporary recall could be regarded as a move to cater to the demands of hardliners, it also reflects Tokyo's intention to get firsthand information on China's stance, in order to formulate a better plan.
"Japan wouldn't want to see a further escalation in tensions, because it's not in its interests. It should draw a lesson from the boat collision incident in 2010," said Huang, adding that the denial of any protest is a signal by Tokyo that they are searching for a diplomatic solution to the disputes.
However, Feng Zhaokui, a Japanese studies expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, holds a less optimistic view of Sino-Japanese relations, calling for an effective mechanism to manage crises between the two sides.
Feng told the Global Times that although neither Tokyo nor Beijing desire a fight over the Diaoyu Islands, the risk of confrontation remains.
"Given the low approval rate of Noda's administration and the upcoming leadership transition in China, no one would embrace the political risks of making concessions," Feng noted.
Feng also said he could not rule out the possibility of Niwa's dismissal.
Echoing his sentiment, Liu Gang, a scholar with Okinawa University, warned that replacing the envoy would bring unpredictable risks to Sino-Japanese relations against the backdrop of current tensions between the two sides.
Over the past few months, China has repeatedly expressed its strong opposition to a Japanese plan to buy the Diaoyu Islands. And Japan last week lodged two separate complaints with Beijing after Chinese vessels entered waters near the islands.
To make the situation more complex, Japan has been approaching other countries in the region, who have territorial disputes with China.
On Saturday, Gemba pledged that Japan will help Vietnam bolster its coastal defense during a visit to Hanoi, which was viewed as a move to counter China.
"Tokyo has been forging an alliance to contain China in the Asia-Pacific region as Washington reasserts its role as a Pacific power. We should be alert to the fact that a ring of encirclement has been taking shape," noted Feng.
Agencies contributed to this story
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