China and Japan have vastly different political systems. You have to remember that East Germany and Poland were both communist governments up until quite recen

China and Japan have vastly different political systems. You have to remember that East Germany and Poland were both communist governments up until quite recently and during that time they were not allies with Germany and France. The USA also brokered peace in Europe by providing military security and access to the largest free trade market in the world. It was a pretty good deal for European countries. This may be pure speculation, but it also appears that China and Japan are culturally further apart than European countries.