How Rare Earths Raise the Stakes in China-Japan Spat

China and Japan are bound together by trade and geography, but a long history of rivalry and unresolved disputes makes even periods of cooperation fragile.

Long-running flashpoints — including China’s increased military activity around a cluster of disputed islands, trade restrictions and concerns over peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait — have flared at times, reminding both sides how quickly ties can sour.