Warm Cross-Strait Relations Cool Japan-Taiwan tie?

A new article from the think tank East West Center, authored by Yasuhiro Matsuda examined how the warming Mainland China-Taiwan relations will impact Taiwan's tie with Japan.

The concerns are "including those of Taiwan being swallowed up into China and Ma's latent anti-Japanese sentiment. Meanwhile, suspicions have been lingering in some circles in China and Taiwan that improved cross-strait relations are not welcomed by Japan."

There have many whispers about the near-term cross-strait relationship, especially considering the uncertainties surrendering the new sixth generation leadership in China, to be debuted in 2012, and Taiwan's own recent election where President Ma's party didn't do well. In Japan, the new Hatoyama administration has been boggled down with Futenma basis deadlock with the U.S. and downward of approval ratings.