ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the troubled rapport between China and Japan throughout the ages. Nippon, the country's name in the vernacular, or its more locally common variant Nihon, literally means the place where the sun originates from, or the east: this refers to Japan's eastern position relative to – one guessed it: China. The chapter presents the distinct positionalities of both Taiwan/Republic of China and Ryukyu/Okinawa: looking at the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands from their perspective adds new colour and drama, as well as opportunities for creative insight, to the festering affair. No one should be surprised that China has called itself 'the Central Kingdom'. Significant economic interdependence and a shared mainstream, public concern with peace and prosperity in the region characterise contemporary China-Japan relations. Yet, lingering memories of war and its aftermath have arguably been the most conspicuously contentious issue in Sino-Japanese relations for at least seven decade.
