Beyond Yasukuni: Bush,Please throw the ball to Koizumi

Even most optimists will be heartbroken by now, as new weave of cooling water pour over already frozen Sino-Japan relations, the bad news comes in double, with Mr. Koizumi has not even tried to show a gesture to improve ties with China, the almost certain will-be next Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, not only said that he would go to visit Yasukuni Shrine when he becomes the Prime Minister, even before he becomes one, he already visited Yasukuni this Aprilin a secretive trip.

Let’s back off a little bit and look at the issue from a cross-cultural person’s point of view. No one will question that even there are similarities between Chinese and Japanese cultures, however, they are like day and night. Put into the lack of communication between two countries leader, deep rooted distrust towards each other, and no gestures showing mutual concerns being considered, you just got the formula for a extremely harsh, if not dangerous relationship.

Have you seen two women fight? Compared to a fight between two men, the fight between two women seem to be less violent and aggressive. However, that doesn’t mean the fight will be peaceful and civiziled, quite the other way around, it only indicates that the fight will last to the end of the day, and both sides will hate each other to their bones and will not talk to each other for the rest of their lives.

Both China and Japan are feminine societies. I know it is in direct contrast to Geert Hofstede, influential crosscultural expert. "masculinity vs femininity"- refers to the value placed on traditionally male or female values. Masculine cultures value competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth and material possessions, whereas feminine cultures place more value on relationships and quality of life. Japan is considered by Hofstede to be the most "masculine" culture, so does China" The U.S. and U.K.are moderately masculine.”(Wikipedia)

Let’s the men step in, let’s the United States play a role here, not only Bush can say something to his dear friend, Mr. Koizumi, but he certainly knows that a -20C degree between China and Japan is much colder than the U.S. bears to carry, the U.S. interests certainly has a stake here.