Clouds over East Asia summit

Clouds over East Asia summit

The tendency for Japan to hew to Washington's line on Asian regional affairs has long been apparent. This tendency has become even more apparent as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's government has sided increasingly with Washington's view of China as a potential enemy and with the hardening U.S. line on North Korea.

Japan and China are both hardening their attitudes over the issue of drilling for oil and gas in disputed waters of the East China Sea. Japan's relations with South Korea have also deteriorated over their mutual claims to some uninhabited islets. Seoul is working to block Japan's bid to win permanent membership on the UN Security Council on the ground that Japan does not enjoy the "confidence" of its neighbors.

What chance, then, does this year's proposed East Asian summit have of succeeding against this background of suspicion and bickering? -- Business Times, Singapore