Abstract
Sino-Japanese relationships are very complex. Historically, both countries have known a kind of "Golden Age" when they dominated the Pacific region. Before the arrival of the Europeans, China was dominant. Then Japan modernized a lot during the Meiji Era (1868) and became superior. Even its defeat in the Second World War (1945) did not strike a blow to its leadership in the East Asian region. Nowadays, with the so-called "Rise of China", both countries clearly show aspirations for influence. So, the historic relation between China and Japan is made of competition and sometimes hostility. Yet, during the past few years, there have been a growing number of contacts between these two states at many levels: the economic ties are stronger and socially, the peoples seem to have got closer. But unexpectedly, these new links have not led to a significant improvement of the Sino-Japanese relationship. We can even wonder if the situation is not now worst than during the Cold War because China and Japan do not have a common enemy anymore; the Soviet Union and later the whole communist bloc vanished and it triggered off a necessary redefinition of international strategies for Japan and China.
