Liberal Democratic Party win in Japan elections may help rebuild China ties

The belief in Japan is that the Liberal Democratic Party will wrest power back from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan next month - a prospect Beijing is probably quite happy with.

If the latest opinion polls prove correct, the country will see Shinzo Abe assume the post of prime minister for a second time on December 16, and it could ease relations over the disputed Diaoyu islands, known by the Japanese as the Senkakus.

"China does not want Yoshihiko Noda back in power again because unless he makes any explicit concessions to Beijing on the Senkakus issue - which he clearly can't - then it will be difficult to work with him," said Jun Okumura, a political analyst with the Eurasia Group.

"This is a relationship that has gone bad and it is impossible to go back to how it was. And that is why Abe will be the choice of the thinking man in China," he said.

Go Ito, a political science professor at Tokyo's Meiji University, agreed. He said the leadership change in both nations should be seen as opportunity.

"Both nations have a high level of economic dependence and these political changes are a chance to rebuild ties," he said.

Based on Abe's previous stint as prime minister, Ito said, he can be expected to reach out to Beijing soon after being elected. Abe visited China shortly after he assumed the post in 2006.