Never had smooth ties with China, says Japan

India shares a land border with China, and Japan has hadA maritime contacts (with China), but for the past 1,500 years and more there has never been a history when our relations with China went extremely smoothly --Deputy PM Taro Aso Tokyo (AFP): Japan has never in the past 1,500 years had a smooth relationship with China, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso was quoted on Sunday as saying during a visit to India. "India shares a land border with China, and Japan has had maritime contacts (with China), but for the past 1,500 years and more there has never been a history when our relations with China went extremely smoothly," Aso said, according to the Nikkei and the Sankei Shimbun newspapers. The comments at a meeting with Indian business people in New Delhi came amid continuing tensions between Japan and China over disputed Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea. Aso, a former prime minister, made the comment in response to a suggestion that Japan and India should strengthen defence and maritime cooperation since both have territorial disputes with China, the Sankei said. India and China are in dispute over an alleged incursion by Chinese troops deep inside Indian-claimed territory. Aso also called for close defence cooperation between Japan, Australia, India, and the US to ensure regional stability. He also attracted media attention last month after he visited the controversial Yasukuni shrine, which honours 2.5 million war dead.