Now that Yoshihiko Noda has been elected prime minister of Japan, just how he will deal with the country's neighbors, including China, has become a widely discussed issue.

It is an expectation of the international community that Noda would demonstrate his sincerity and take various opportunities to deepen the China-Japan strategic and mutually beneficial relationships.

It is known to all that both China and Japan are important neighbors with major influence in Asia and the world, and developing a good-neighborly and friendly relationship of long-term stability between the countries is not only in the fundamental interests of the two nations and their people, but also conducive to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity.

Right after his election on Tuesday, Noda said he hoped for a "win-win" relationship with the rest of Asia.

It is quite clear that the precondition for establishing a "win-win" relationship lies in an appropriate and sincere attitude toward history that is accepted by the Asian people.

In other words, it is vital to respect the feelings of the Asian people, including the Chinese, in dealing with Japan's history of aggression during the last century.

Of course, their relationship is one of the top priorities for both China and Japan. What's more, the relationship has exerted more and more impact on the region and the world at large.

This year marks the threshold of the second decade for the 21st century, and it is high time to elevate China-Japan relations. That move would benefit both two countries and their people and it also would suit the common expectations of the international community.

China and Japan currently are witnessing prosperous economic cooperation and cultural exchanges and people-to-people communications.

Statistics show that their bilateral trade volume hit a record high of nearly 300 billion U.S. dollars last year. Japan has benefited greatly from China's booming economy. Therefore, both countries should take various advantages to explore new fields for cooperation in order to achieve a win-win situation.

Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. It will be a critical moment to lift their bilateral relations to a higher level.

So it is time now for the new Japanese prime minister to show his vision, sincerity and leadership in steering China-Japan relations to a more stable, healthy and, as he put it, a "win-win" track.