Mon, Apr 05, 2004 page5

• Japan appeals to China to steer clear of islands

  UNINHABITED Following a landing by Chinese activists on disputed territory, Japan has treated the islands as `the most important issue' in discussions with Beijing

  • AP
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  Japan's foreign minister has appealed to China to steer clear of an uninhabited island chain claimed by both nations that has been the site of recent altercations between Japanese police and Chinese protesters.

  Yoriko Kawaguchi, in meetings with China's premier and foreign minister, raised the dispute over the islands -- called Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China -- as "the most important issue" of her visit, Japanese officials said.

  Kawaguchi took issue with "the illegal landing of the Chinese activists on ... territory that is legally and historically Japanese," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima said. Japan arrested and deported seven Chinese activists who landed on one of the islands last month.

  "The Chinese said the islands are Chinese territory. The Japanese foreign minister made it clear she could not accept that notion," Takashima said Saturday night.

  Of the Chinese protesters, he said, "There was no direct response to the Japanese request to prevent recurrence."

  Relations between China and Japan, economic partners who are diplomatically cordial, always unfold against the backdrop of historical context -- namely the Japanese invasion and mistreatment of China in the years leading up to and during World War II.

  "The issue of history was raised at both meetings," Takashima said.

  Even today, China frequently brings up Japan's aggression, which remains a sensitive subject among many Chinese. Last week, China told Japan that "history really matters" and emphasized that Tokyo's 20th-century aggressions still reverberate.

  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) promised after meeting Kawaguchi that China would work to strengthen ties. But he emphasized that arguments over history and territory -- including the East China Sea island spat and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizimi's visits to Japan's Yasukuni war shrine -- posed problems.

  "Only if the two sides proceed from the overall situation of bilateral ties and appropriately tackle existing problems can the Sino-Japanese relationship overcome difficulties and score new progress," China's official Xinhua News Agency said, citing Wen.

  Particularly galling to China are Koizumi's visits to the Tokyo war shrine, which honors Japan's 2.5 million war dead -- including convicted war criminals. Koizumi has visited the memorial four times since taking office in 2001, drawing rebukes each time from Beijing.

  "We do hope the Chinese government and the Chinese people will understand the sincere reasons for Mr. Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine -- not to honor war criminals but to remember the Japanese civilians who suffered and on whose sacrifice the current prosperity of Japan has been built," Takashima said.

  He added, "We hope neighboring countries, including China, will recognize our effort to become a peaceful nation."

  Koizumi's visits have prevented Beijing from inviting him on a state visit, and that apparently hasn't changed: Takashima acknowledged China is "not in a position" to host the Japanese prime minister because of the shrine brouhaha.

  Kawaguchi was also briefed on Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing's (李肇星) recent visit to North Korea, whose nuclear program is the subject of six-nation talks that include Japan and China.

  Kawaguchi acknowledged the diplomatic bumps openly to Li as they began their meeting.
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