Japan and China will play in the finals of the Asian Soccer Cup this weekend. The event is being hosted in China and fans are being asked to be "civilised" towards their opponents. It is often difficult for outsiders to imagine the depth of feeling Japan arouses in other Asian nations, especially Korea and China. Any analysis of history can see the justifications for such anger and hatred and it drives many of the geopolitical and economic dynamics in Asia today.

William Pesek Jr. has an interesting article on how Japan's past may now start hurting it economically. The thrust of his argument is as Korea and now China become significant economies and drivers of growth Japan will miss out unless it confronts its military past effectively and completely. Until such time as Japan is prepared to honestly face up to its past deeds it will suffer economically and politically. While culturally and domestically Japan PM Koizumi has to visit shrines honouring the war dead, including convicted war criminals, the rest of Asia will find it impossible to engage with Japan in a meaningful way. Indeed China will not let Japan's PM visit the Mainland for this very reason.

So you have Asia's two biggest powers and economies in a love-hate relationship. China has and will continue to do far better without Japan whereas Japan will miss out to a great extent if it cannot capitalise on the rapid growth in its neighbour. Pesek's conclusion is the right one: while these two countries bicker it will be the to detriment of both. But it is up to Japan to take the steps to move the relationship forward. It's in their interests, no matter how painful it may be.

UPDATE: Jodi has more.