A

war or military confrontation between China and Japan is probably just a matter of time. This is the opinion reportedly shared by more than half of Chinese people and nearly 30 percent of Japanese citizens.

As reported by international media agencies, the mutual distrust between the two giants continues to grow ahead of the second anniversary of Japan'€™s nationalization of disputed islands in the East China Sea on Thursday. The Chinese people and their government are always furious with what they regard as the unforgiven brutality of China'€™s former colonial occupier, and Japan'€™s denial of responsibility for its deeds before and during World War II.

Chinese President Xi Jinping knows very well that he can benefit from heightened anti Japanese sentiment among the Chinese public because it is an easy and effective way to keep the nation united behind his government. China is enjoying its new status as an economic superpower and in less than two decades, it is likely to surpass the United States as the world'€™s number-one economy. A growing sense of nationalism and pride as a superpower is sweeping the nation.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has not been able to revive his country'€™s stagnant economy through his '€œAbenomics'€. The country is now in economic contraction, and there are few convincing signs that Japan can maintain its position as the world'€™s third-largest economy after the US and China.

Abe has used the '€œChina threat'€ to drum up support for his rightist administration. The revival of a mighty Japanese military is often perceived as one of his strongest plattforms. But the concern of the Japanese people is more for the economy, not a superior military position against other countries such as China.

Both President Xi and Prime Minister Abe are playing with fire. Their main difficulties will be how they fully control the tensions between the two nations. China posseses nearly all the necessary requirements to win any war against Japan, but China is aware of Japan'€™s track record in the face of much more powerful countries, such as the US and Russia.

However, the US will not allow its archrival to take over its current dominant position in the Asia-Pacific region especially in regard to protectings the US'€™ allies '€” Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. China'€™s unilateral sovereignty claims over the South China Sea have also alarmed its neighbors.

China and Japan have a key role in determining stability and peace in East and Southeast Asia. But the question is whether they will be able to contain the rising animosity currently being stoked.