Japan establishes diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China after breaking official ties with the Republic of China.
The relationship between China and Japan spans thousands of years. Japan has deep historical and cultural ties with China; cultural contacts throughout its history have strongly influenced Japan—including its writing system, architecture, cuisine, culture, literature, religion, philosophy, and law. China, in return, has been deeply influenced by Japan.
After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the Empire of Japan embraced Westernization and saw the Qing dynasty as "non-Chinese", leading to the First Sino-Japanese War where Japan emerged victorious and gained control of Taiwan. In the 20th century, Japan pursued an increasingly expansionist policy towards China.
In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria, establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo, and invaded other parts of China in 1937, precipitating the Second Sino-Japanese War which was marked by numerous Japanese war crimes. Japan surrendered in 1945, leading China to regain all lost territories. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, relations were tense, with Japan continuing to recognize the Republic of China which had retreated to Taiwan, though informal ties with the PRC existed.
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Sources and further reading: Wikipedia — China–Japan relations, Japan, China, Taiwan (CC BY-SA). Images: Wikimedia Commons.
