According to Japanese media reports, Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba declared Tuesday that he had confirmed with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the "Senkaku" (Diaoyu) Islands fall within the scope of the US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. There has been no confirmation from Washington of Gemba's latest statement, however.

Earlier this month, Japanese media also reported that a "senior" US Department of State official claimed the same thing, and they predicted the US would be obliged to jointly defend the islands if necessary.

Needless to say, a stable and peaceful environment is in accordance with the fundamental interests of all regional players. The US also clearly understands this.

Over the Diaoyu Islands issue, it is the obligation of both China and Japan to remain restrained in seeking a peaceful solution. But now it seems that this obligation falls only on China's shoulders, while Japan is busy disrupting the peace at a desperate pace.

Lately, Japan has been trying out a variety of risky measures, from "purchasing" or "nationalizing" the Diaoyu Islands to bringing the US into the dispute. Tokyo is sending a signal that it's being tough on China over the dispute, which is in accordance with the demands of some Japanese domestic forces.

From the US perspective, manipulating Japan's sense of anxiety can facilitate its plan of returning to Asia. Through "fulfilling" its "commitment to provide for the defense of Japan," the US is able to reinforce its military presence in this region. The latest example is the arrival of US Osprey aircraft in Japan Monday, which is seen by Japanese media as a potential move to help defend the disputed islands.

But on the other hand, it is questionable to what degree the pragmatic US would be willing to see the dispute spin out of control or even drag itself into sharp conflicts with China. So far, on official occasions, the US has maintained an ambiguous attitude over the disputed islands.

It is a ludicrous delusion of Japan to think that showing toughness can legitimize its control of the islands or even prompt China to make any compromise.

This complex dispute should be placed far in the background of the two neighbors' overall relationship. Frequent frictions or even a showdown over the Diaoyu Islands could burn their ties at both official and grass-roots levels.

It is understandable that as China rises, Japan seeks to readjust its strategic mentality toward China and reinforce its defenses.

But if such an adjustment evolves into frequent, specific moves that risk damaging overall ties with China, Japan may need to reconsider whether this will really help its security or not.