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Lee cites Japanese hero as inspiration for reform

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday said that his decision to push Taiwan’s democratic reform during the 1980s was inspired by a Meiji-era Japanese hero, Sakamoto Ryoma, who wanted to break away from one-party rule and establish a democratic state.

Lee, who embarked on a seven-day visit to Japan on Friday, said during a public speech he delivered in Kochi that when he promoted Taiwan’s democratic reform during his presidency, he had received a letter from a Japanese friend of his encouraging him with Sakamoto’s “Eight-Point Program.”

Lee said that he was deeply touched and strongly influenced by Sakamoto.

Sakamoto formulated the “Eight-Point Program” in 1867 for the modernization of Japan. It was a political guideline for a new government and Cabinet.

Lee said his friend encouraged him to integrate Taiwan’s pro-unification and pro-independence political forces, make efforts to divorce the country from one-party authoritarian rule and turn it into a genuine democracy.

His friend also suggested he implement constitutional reform, strengthen the powers of the Presidential Office and Legislative Yuan and develop US or French-style democratic politics. It would benefit Taiwan and build up its security if the country could develop parliamentary politics and legislative diplomacy because it would pose a stark contrast to China’s communist rule.

During his 1988 to 2000 term, Lee nurtured democracy and tried to promote a separate identity for Taiwan, but he never disclosed the impact Sakamoto had on him.

Lee yesterday said he had a special feeling when he visited Sakamoto’s birth place of Kochi and paid his respects at a bronze statue of Sakamoto.

Emphasizing political reform was on-going, Lee said Taiwan’s political reform required the determination of its young people. To develop a sound Taiwan-Japan relationship, Lee said he hoped to see the younger generation of the two countries join forces.
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