? ?
WORLD / Asia-Pacific
Fukuda urges better China ties
(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-09-17 07:23
Tokyo must improve its ties with China, the frontrunner to become Japan's
next prime minister said Sunday.
Yasuo Fukuda, an advocate of a less US-centric foreign policy, is
expected to beat hawkish former foreign minister Taro Aso in the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race sparked by Shinzo Abe's
abrupt decision last week to resign.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Presidential election
candidates, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda (L) and LDP
Secretary-General Taro Aso attend their stump speeches for the party's
elections in Tokyo September 16, 2007.?[Reuters]
Fukuda, 71, also signaled in a series of interviews a softer approach
toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Ties between the
two countries have been foiled by a feud over Japanese citizens kidnapped
decades ago by Pyongyang.
"The US-Japan alliance is the cornerstone and we must place weight on
that. But if there are deficiencies in other areas, we should fix them,"
Fukuda told public broadcaster NHK.
"Prime Minister Abe visited China and South Korea (the ROK) and relations
improved. We must make that trend even firmer."
Fukuda reiterated he would not visit Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, seen by
many Asian countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, if he were
chosen as the nation's new leader.
Sino-Japanese ties chilled under Abe's predecessor Junichiro Koizumi,
largely because of the Japanese leader's visits to Yasukuni, but thawed
after Abe's visit to Beijing last October.
Fukuda also sounded a softer tone normalizing ties with Pyongyang. Abe
has insisted the feud over the abductees be resolved before Japan would
give energy aid to the DPRK as part of a six-way nuclear disarmament deal
agreed this year.
"We must not close the road to talks," he told Fuji TV. "We must show
that we are willing to have discussions."
Fukuda was critical of Abe's proposal for a "broader Asia" partnership of
countries that would include India, the United States and Australia - but
not China.
"China is making efforts toward a free economy, so if we say they must
change their system completely, that would seem to be rejecting them,"
Fukuda told private broadcaster Asahi TV.
But he also urged China to make its military spending more transparent.
"China has a responsibility to explain ... and obtain understanding," he
said.
Fukuda, the son of a prime minister and known as a "shadow foreign
minister" when he served in Koizumi's Cabinet, looks on track to win
Sunday's election for LDP president after gaining support of all the
ruling party's biggest factions.
His victory would signal a sharp change from the 52-year-old Abe, whose
conservative agenda stressed rewriting the pacifist constitution and
nurturing more patriotism in the schools.
Whoever wins the LDP race is assured the premiership by virtue of the
ruling coalition's huge lower house majority.
Aso yesterday conceded that he was likely to lose the party leadership
election, but said he would stay in the running if only to ensure an open
race.
"Yes, but if I drop out, the party would be criticized as having chosen a
prime minister through back room deals," Aso said yesterday morning on
public broadcaster NHK. "I have decided to run if only for the sake of
holding an open election."
Abe had refused to quit after the opposition won a majority in a July
upper house poll, then shocked politicians and the public by announcing
his resignation last week.
The soft-spoken Fukuda stressed the importance of extending a Japanese
naval mission in support of US-led military operations in Afghanistan, a
step strongly urged by Washington but which Japan's opposition parties
are against.
"Various countries including France, Germany and Pakistan have expressed
appreciation of this activity ... and we want to continue it if we can,
so we must explain this to the opposition parties," Fukuda told NHK,
adding it was necessary to sell the mission to the Japanese public as
well.
Related Stories ?
Fukuda leads Japan PM race, won't visit Yasukuni
===========================================================================
Japan's leadership race heats up
===========================================================================
Jia: Good ties with Japan of 'great importance'
===========================================================================
Good ties with Japan of 'great importance'
===========================================================================
China's policy on friendly relations with Japan won't change
===========================================================================
Top World News ?
* Musharraf plans to quit army for presidency
* Fukuda leads in opinion polls to be Japan's next PM
* Australian PM denies will retire before vote
* Black boxes found in Thai plane crash
* Iraq: Revenge sought in sheik's death
Today's Top News ?
* Stocks hit record high in spite of interest rate rise
* Beijing: Prepared for grave situations
* CPC to amend Party Constitution
* Black boxes found in Thai plane crash
* Thai plane crashes, 66 killed
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Learn Chinese, Chinese Online Class, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment