The view is growing in Japan that it could take a while to ease tensions with China. Their rift began after a comment by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae about Taiwan earlier this month. Tokyo has indicated it is trying to maintain dialogue to keep the situation from escalating.

An off-the-cuff remark by new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that triggered Japan's biggest bust-up in years with powerful neighbour China was not meant to signal a new hardline stance.