2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Many observers feared Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, regarded as a nationalist and history revisionist, might stir up sentiment and further aggravate Japan¡¯s already strained relations with China and South Korea.
However, the year ended with the opposite result: On Monday Abe managed to clinch a deal to ¡°finally and irreversibly¡± settle the long-standing ¡°comfort women¡± issue with South Korea.
He also won agreements with Beijing and Seoul on Nov. 1 to resume their annual trilateral summits, significantly improving diplomacy with the two countries.
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