Images of the Japanese flag painted on two fighter jets to be displayed on Saturday to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II have been removed after Tokyo voiced concern over historical accuracy, officials said yesterday.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) confirmed that Japan had expressed its concern that the two planes — one Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) and one F-16 — with Japanese flags painted underneath their cockpits were not the same kind of planes that were used during the war.
After Japan said it hoped the commemorative activities would be conducted based on historical facts, the foreign ministry notified the Ministry of National Defense, which decided to paint over the flags, Lin said.
Photo: Lo Tien-bin, Taipei Times
“Japan is our friend and our relationship with Japan is very important to us,” he said.
However, the Japanese flags painted on a fighter aircraft modeled on the P40 Warhawk used by the “Flying Tigers” against Japan during the war remain, Lin said.
“Japan did not press us to paint over the flags on the P-40 fighter because that complied with historical facts,” Lin said.
While President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has emphasized the need to enhance public understanding of the history of the war through the commemorative events, “Taiwan also places a lot of value on its relationship with Japan.”
“It is important that we find a balance between promoting historical events and the relationship [with Japan],” he said.
The foreign ministry also addressed Japanese concerns over the implications of the commemorative activities at its regular news conference yesterday.
The Interchange Association, Japan — Tokyo’s representative office in Taipei — fully understands that the purpose of commemorating the end of the war is for the public to remember the lessons learned from history and the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs section head Liu Tuo (劉拓) told the news conference.
Liu was responding to a report on Monday in the Sankei Shimbun that said the activities planned by Taiwan’s government have upset the Interchange Association, and it had questioned whether they indicate the Ma administration is adopting an anti-Japan policy.
The Interchange Association yesterday declined to comment.
However, Interchange Association Director Kotatsu Nishino said his office had not been invited to attend the military display.
He made the comment at a ceremony he hosted to confer the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on former representative to Japan Hsu Shui-teh (許水德).
The defense ministry said an invitation had been delivered on Friday last week.
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