Japan needs long-term diplomacy

BEIJING - Whichever party wins Japan's parliamentary elections held on Sunday should devise its foreign policy with a long-term and pragmatic prospective so that the country can repair its strained ties with neighbors and play a constructive role in the region.

It is a troubling sign that some of the political parties vying for the 480 seats of Japan's lower house of the parliament have pledged to take a tough stance on territorial disputes and boost military spending to woo rightist voters.

These policies, if carried out, will surely further sour Japan's relations with its neighbors and even increase political and military risks in the region.

An escalation of tensions also carries heavy economic costs.

The Japanese economy has taken a toll after ties with China, one of its largest export markets, chilled following Tokyo's move to "buy" the Diaoyu Islands, an integral part of China's territory.

For Japan's new leadership, it is of more urgency for them to save the Japanese economy, which has been plagued by decades of deflation and in its fourth recession since 2000, than pick fights with its neighbors.

It is also worrying that some contenders in Japan's parliamentary elections have played the card of nationalism in the past few months to appeal to Japan's simmering nationalist mood.

PM-hopeful Shinzo Abe have paid two visits to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honored WWII war criminals. The right-leaning Restoration Party of Japan have gone further by making inflammatory remarks that clearly target China.

These moves have raised suspicions among Japan's neighbors. They also pose a risk to regional peace and stability.

It was short-sighted and dangerous for any political party to play the card of nationalism in an election.

Instead of pandering to domestic hawks and talking tough, Japan's new leadership should take sincere steps to solve the thorny issues in its ties with neighbors.