Playing with fire? [By Jiao Haiyang/China.org.cn]

After Japan released the Chinese captain, the incident would seem to be finished. In Japan, the Kan administration has been blasted by Japanese opposition parties and the media.

The Kan administration is under attack for three primary reasons. First, why did it release the captain? Apparently, the Japanese prosecutors were under political pressure. Second, why hasn't the collision video, which was supposedly recorded by Japan's Maritime Safety Agency, released to the public? Finally, the Kan administration has been labeled weak toward China.

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party's leaders accuse the Kan administration of being unable to deal with foreign affairs, and have demanded the ruling Democratic Party to clearly explain the incident to the public.

Now the government's handling of the incident has become an internal conflict within the ruling party. In a report submitted by 43 Democratic members, the collision incident has been classified as a "national calamity," and the release of the Chinese captain called an "insult" to all Japanese.

Former Prime Minister Hatoyama also asked the government to publish the collision video, and criticized the Kan administration for its prior cancelling of the Sino-Japan hotline, which would have been the best opportunity for a diplomatic solution after the incident.

Inside the Japanese Democratic Party, there are diverse views about releasing the captain. The foreign minister emphasized that the Chinese trawler collided with the Japanese vessel intentionally, which contradicts previous declarations of prosecutors.

The House of Representatives has begun to protest against the "irresponsible" actions of senior party members. The Kan administration is facing significant criticism both externally and internally, and the considerable pressure may lead to the Democratic Party losing power.

There are two main reasons for Kan administration to adopt a stronger stance on the incident. First, it wants to establish a foundation for Japanese foreign policy and reorganize the political structure. Second, it wants to test America's attitude and ultimately get America's pledge to protect the Japanese southwest sea. But the Japanese government has failed to account for China's strong feelings and subsequently created a mess that will require much effort to fix.

(The article is first published in Chinese and translated by Lin Liyao.)