Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) may visit Japan in May and receive the same visa-free treatment the Japanese government has granted to visitors from Taiwan since Sept. 26, last year.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said on Friday while answering questions at a meeting of the Upper House's budgetary committee that there is no need to make a great fuss about Lee's upcoming visit to Japan, as Lee is "just a retired old man."
Speaking on the same occasion, Japanese Minister of Justice Seiken Sugiura described Lee as a private individual and said that he will be allowed to enter Japan in accordance with the law -- a hint that Lee would receive visa-free treatment.
The Japanese daily Sankei Shimbun quoted government sources as reporting yesterday that the Japanese government has in principle agreed to permit Lee to visit Japan without a visa.
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
Ma made the remarks in an interview in Taipei with Sankei Shimbun, which carried the interview yesterday.
Ma noted that Taiwan hopes to maintain friendly relations with both the US and Japan based on its common interests with the two countries. He expressed a keen interest in visiting Japan after his trip to the US from March 19-27.
He said that he might deliver a speech in Tokyo in late July, adding that he will adjust his itinerary to accommodate the visit. If conditions are ripe, he said he also hopes to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Speaking of his views on Japan, Ma reaffirmed that he is opposed to the view that World War II was a just war.
He also said that during his visit to Japan in March last year, he enhanced his friendship with Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara and Yokohama Mayor Hiroshi Nakada.
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