Prime Minister Abe needs to cater to some sort of face-saving solution that grants Xi Jinping the chance to de-escalate without looking like backing down. More surprises might be in the pipeline.

Or Abe could just back down and ask for assurances that oil on the Japanese side will not be siphoned away?

That could be done via friendly inspections sweetened with technical assistance, which would only help Japan to avert a potential oil spill coming to these shores you know.

After the (first) Great Leap Forward it was Japan that pushed the second great leap forward, industrialization of China. With honestly offered assistance, with turning a blind eye to spurious copying of technology, fast tracking its economic development, but only for a small minority which thinks nothing of siphoning off wealth for themselves bypassing the majority of the population in a very un-communist manner in a nation that still profiles itself as a peoples republic founded by the great leader Mao on communist principles. Did I say communist? No kidding. Is Xi aware of this? He'd be really dumb if he wasn't. Seems to be he should be the one, as another great leader, to back down and get some international, human sense pumped thru his veins. But that is not the way politics work. Not in China, nor in Japan or in any other nation. You try to get away with your devious and obnoxious ways until you get deposed by your successor who is just as devious and obnoxious. Abe may not be the one to kowtow to Xi and rightfully so. You give this man and his clique an inch of slack and they will take all you got. They will keep hammering on what Japan did to them, which of course was horrible and unforgivable, but they will never mention the amends in the form of its assistance in its rapid industrialization, which, of course, benefited Japan as well. Nor will they talk about the numerous NGOs working for decades in China to develop agriculture, stop the advance of the desert, etc. Hah, you can forget about friendly inspections with technical assistance. Japan has just about given enough free technical assistance, only to be claimed later by China as genuine Chinese technology. Just my opinion.

Prime Minister Abe needs to cater to some sort of face-saving solution

Basically- comments like these- keeps the ball in China's court. Especially emphasizing the fact that it is indeed "china" who needs to "de-escalate" in order for Japan to salvage some pride.

Abe has his hands full. Let's hope he doesn't present any more children's Presentation with props and fairytale storyline.

With the public not supporting the security bills & Abe sliding down in approval ratings, might get uglier. Meanwhile, China drills and is a sovereign nation.

The strength of the improvement in China-Japan relations will be tested

These 2 countries relations, for the most part, have always been pretty bad. The test is for japan wake up and smell the coffee. Quit relying on the US to protect japan so much.