Koizumi, Opposition Lawmaker Clash Over Premier's Remark

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, May 22, 2002

Koizumi, Opposition Lawmaker Clash Over Premier's Remark

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Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) lawmaker Banri Kaieda clashed Wednesday over the premier's remark about a DPJ fact-finding survey into an asylum incident two weeks ago at a Japanese consulate in China, which was called ''masochistic.''

''I will not retract the remark. I simply expressed my general impression. I also have the freedom of speech,'' Koizumi told a House of Representatives Budget Committee session in response to demands by Kaieda to take back the comment.

Last Friday, Koizumi criticized the DPJ investigation and questioned why the opposition party's stance on the findings was closer to that of China rather than the Japanese government, which is negotiating the problem.

The DPJ found in its survey of the May 8 incident, in which five asylum seekers tried in vain to seek asylum at the Japanese Consulate General in Shenyang, China, that the Japanese consulate staff were much more cooperative with Chinese police in dealing with the five than explained by Japan's Foreign Ministry.

The ministry says the Chinese police entered the consulate in Liaoning Province, northeastern China, without Tokyo's consent and seized the five, violating the Vienna convention on consular relations. But Beijing maintains the police gained permission from consular officials.

Kaieda, who took part in the DPJ survey, asked Koizumi what was masochistic about the investigation and explained that it only disclosed the new facts it discovered and had no intention to point out the Foreign Ministry's faults.

The DPJ investigation showed that a deputy consul at the consulate general expressed his gratitude on the phone for the Chinese police officers' work to a Liaoning Province official shortly after the incident and shook hands with one of the leading officers during it.

The Foreign Ministry's report of its version of the incident ''has too many holes,'' Kaieda claimed.

Koizumi admitted there are many points in which the ministry could have done better, but explained that he wanted the DPJ to be careful about finding fault with Japan's position while it is in the middle of negotiating with China.

''I wonder about a politician telling another politician to retract remarks. I am appalled. Just saying that it was outrageous for me to have said (the DPJ investigation) was masochistic is in itself a gag,'' the prime minister said.

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