Japan–China row over Taiwan highlights fragile ties

A DIPLOMATIC feud with China sparked by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan has underscored the fragility of ties between the key trading partners.

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Historical grievances and territorial disputes have added to the strain. At the heart of their complicated relationship?

Historical mistrust

Japanese troops carried out mass murder, rape and looting in Nanjing for about six weeks from the end of 1937, a period of brutal Japanese occupation in the Second Sino-Japanese war that was part of World War II.

Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people were killed in the massacre.

Tokyo normalised diplomatic ties with Beijing in 1972 but relations are still dogged by historical issues.

More than 10 000 people protested in Beijing after Tokyo approved revisionist textbooks in 2005, hurling rocks and eggs at the Japanese embassy.

Takaichi has not commented publicly on the Nanjing massacre since becoming premier last month, but she questioned the official Chinese death toll of 300 000 in a 2004 blog.