TaiShang
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Japan sees America as a threat to national sovereignty, more than Chinese, actually.
This line is important and must be underlined.
It seems Japan has been using regional dynamics to open itself a greater room for sovereign decision making. That's probably the reason for the seemingly unending tensious situation between China and Japan, which, for the same reason, never boils over to an impediment to deeper bilateral relations let alone a physical confrontation.
Probably many in China's decision making structures understand this predicament and tolerate it, also putting up a tough anti-Japan face at times. Every conversation I had with my colleagues from Japan in Track II settings, I saw universal recognition of the US being Japan's real enemy. But enemy is so within, it is hard to get rid of it or act out in the open.
I guess both China and Japan have this strategic depth to manage the situation. Between two other nations, a similar situation would already result in a bigger crisis. But China and Japan are just two very special historical neighbors.