When Hu’s predecessor, Jiang Zemin, traveled to Japan ten years ago, bilateral relations were deteriorating: China was unhappy with the Japanese government’s refusal to extend the same apology offered to South Korea for past aggression; Japan was worried about a rising China and thus turning more confrontational.
Las crónicas de los medios japoneses de comunicación sobre la visita fueron abrumadoramente negativas y se la recordó como un desastre en materia de relaciones públicas.