By Zhang Tuosheng

Japan's political landscape was again rocked when Yasuo Fukuda, who championed proactive advancement of the country's China ties, suddenly announced his resignation as prime minister on Sept 1.

He was under the pressure from waning popular support, numerous "negative assets" left behind by former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's era, a nation embroiled in a global pandemic of rising oil and food prices, a spreading financial crisis, and particularly from a parliament where the upper and lower houses are controlled by the ruling Liberal Democrats and opposition parties respectively, preventing many of the former's administrative decisions from getting approval.

On Sept 24, Taro Aso, a known "hawk" in Japanese politics, was elected the new prime minister.

Many Chinese and Japanese scholars were initially concerned about Aso succeeding Fukuda, saying his China policy would be very different from that of Fukuda, who strongly pushed for friendly cooperation between Japan and China.

They were worried that Aso might bring up the so-called Crescent of Freedom and Prosperity and "diplomacy of values" he promoted when he was the foreign minister in the Shinzo Abe cabinet.

Some Chinese researchers, still remembering Aso's repeated "slips of the tongue" over the country's history, even warned that the Sino-Japanese relationship "could return to the Koizumi era". That has not happened. Relations have maintained steady development under the Aso administration since it came to power more than two months ago.

Aso sent Chinese President Hu Jintao a message on the day he was elected, saying he attaches great importance to the bilateral ties between the two nations. On many noteworthy occasions afterward, he has sent positive signals to China expressing his wish to push forward the strategic relationship of mutual benefit, realize mutual benefits, win-win results, and work together on stability and prosperity in Asia and the rest of the world.

He also expressed the hope that leaders of the two countries continue their frequent reciprocal visits and contacts. He said China was a key partner of Japan in cooperation, and the fast development of China greatly benefits Japan and the world as a whole.

On the issue of Japan's history, Aso has vowed to maintain the official stand defined by former prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, who expressed "profound remorse" and "sincere apologies" to nations victimized by Japanese colonial rule and aggression in the past;, and took care of the international controversy caused by an article written by Chief of Staff of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Forces, General Toshio Tomagami, who tried to whitewash Japan's history of aggression (by removing him from his military post) in a timely fashion, and demanded all efforts to prevent such incidents from happening again.

In response to the major challenges facing the world today and especially the financial crisis, Aso has said he believes that Japan and China in particular should step up communication and cooperation and praised China's economic measures.