Japanese forces may aid Taiwan

In response to wire reports that Japan plans to send troops to Taiwan to help restore infrastructure damaged in Tuesday's devastating earthquake, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday confirmed that the government has indeed sought assistance of that kind from Japan and other nations.

If Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel are able to come, it would be the first appearance of Japanese troops in Taiwan since the end of Japanese rule in 1945.

According to a report yesterday by the Kyodo news service, Japan Defense Agency head Hosei Norota announced at a press conference that "Japan is ready to dispatch SDF personnel to assist earthquake relief efforts in Taiwan if requested to do so."

Norota was quoted as saying that the SDF has set up a quick response system that can meet emergency requests for medical assistance and water distribution, and can airlift relief goods.

China is very likely to oppose Japan's offer of military-related assistance to Taiwan for reasons having to do with its claim of sovereignty over the island, Kyodo said.

Kyodo's Taipei correspondent, Susanne Ganz, told the Taipei Times that Hosei might get himself into trouble for making a statement about the deployment plan before it gets backing from Japan's foreign ministry and approval from Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Jason Hu (胡志強) denied, however, that the Taiwan government has received any such offer of assistance from Japan, even though it was widely reported by the Japanese media.

"We have checked the authenticity of such reports through our representative office in Japan," Hu said. "The reports are unfounded."

But Hu admitted Taiwan has indeed sought help from Japan as well as other countries to help with restoration work in the wake of the deadly earthquake.

"We have asked ... countries for assistance in areas ranging from provision of sleeping bags, blankets and makeshift building specialists, as well as military engineering personnel for the repair of damaged bridges and roads," Hu said.

"The arrival of such assistance will take some time. Probably one or two months," he said.

But Hu emphasized that the Taiwan government will not accept any rescue aid from abroad which is politically oriented.

Meanwhile, Hu said the government would purchase as many as 10,000 prefabricated houses from Japan to provide temporary shelters for people who have become homeless because of the quake. The houses had been used in the aftermath of the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

"The first batch of houses available is around 2,000 total," Hu said.

"Some of them are already ready for delivery while some are yet to be disassembled for packaging and delivery," he said.

With each house costing around US$3,000, Hu said the government will purchase between 5,000 and 10,000 of them.

But Hu said he did not know how soon the houses will arrive in Taiwan. "It is not money, but time, that matters now," he said.

At the same time, Hu expressed thanks on behalf of the government to all nations that have provided or offered rescue aid to Taiwan.

"A total of 83 countries have expressed to Taiwan through various channels their concern for the casualties and damage caused by the earthquake," Hu said.

"Twenty-one countries or international organizations have sent 35 rescue teams totalling 645 people to Taiwan so far," he added.