China Wednesday expressed "dissatisfaction and regret" over
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's remarks about
justifying his visits to a shrine for Japan's war dead.
Asked in parliament on Tuesday if he felt reluctant to visit the
Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 convicted "Class A" war criminals
among 2.5 million other Japanese killed in wartime, Koizumi said:
"I have no such feeling."
Since taking office in 2001, Koizumi has paid four visits to the
Yasukuni Shrine, with the latest taking place on New Year's
Day.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said Wednesday
that "China firmly opposes" visits by the Japanese leader to the
shrine.
China hopes Koizumi does not take actions that will offend
people from countries victimized by Japan in wartime, she said.
Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was in Japan for
talks on security issues and other matters, met Japanese Foreign
Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi yesterday in Tokyo.
Wang said Japan's post-war development as well as its current
international status are based on introspective reflection of its
historical aggression to other nations.
"Any remarks and practices which justify war criminals will
destroy such a base, and is not good for Japan as it tries to
establish trust with neighboring countries," Wang was quoted as
saying.
Koizumi told a parliamentary committee that the outcry from
other countries "doesn't worry me," and he has "no intention of
changing my feelings on this matter."
Kawaguchi told Wang the Japanese Government will adhere to the
spirits of the speech made by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama
in 1995, who admitted that Japan's colonial rule and aggression had
caused tremendous suffering to many Asian countries.
Wang said China and Japan should not ignore their history if
they want to advance bilateral ties.
The only correct attitude is to "take history as a mirror and
face the future," according to Wang.
Further, Chinese President Hu Jintao met Takenori Kanzaki, head
of the New Komeito Party Wednesday in Beijing. The party is in an
alliance with Koizumi's Liberal Democrats to govern Japan.
It was reported that Koizumi asked Kanzaki to deliver a letter
to President Hu, requesting a bilateral meeting. This has not been
confirmed by Chinese officials.
However, a leading Chinese expert on Japanese affairs told China
Daily yesterday that chances for a visit by Koizumi to China are
"not optimistic" because of his recent remarks.
There are several major problems with Sino-Japanese relations,
and Koizumi's consecutive visits to the Yasukuni Shrine has been
one of them, said Professor Yang Bojiang, director of Northeast
Asian Studies Division of the China Institute of Contemporary
International Relations.
"The possibility of inviting Koizumi to visit Beijing officially
has been further reduced," Yang said.
However, he said the two leaders are able to meet on other
occasions, such as international conferences.
Bilateral relations are developing very quickly in economic and
trade sectors but political relations are lagging behind, according
to Yang.
The volume of bilateral economic and trade reached a record
US$133.58 billion last year, up 31.1 per cent over the previous
year.
In another development, spokeswoman Zhang said on Tuesday China
resolutely opposes and will absolutely not accept Japan's attempt
to impose pressure on China on the issue of Diaoyu Islands with a
third country.
Zhang made the remarks in response to the question of a reporter
who referred to a Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman as reportedly
saying recently that the United States would fulfill its obligation
of defence in view of the security pact with Japan if the Diaoyu
Islands were attacked.
(China Daily February 12, 2004)