Japanese experts call for gov't to shelve territorial dispute with China

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Japanese experts call for gov't to shelve territorial dispute with China

By Liu Tian, Guo Yina (Xinhua) 20:01, September 11, 2013

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TOKYO, Sept. 11 -- Japanese experts on Japan-China relations called for the Japanese government to shelve territorial dispute with China and stressed Japan should tackle the issue with the neighboring country.

Takayuki Yanada, former policy secretary of Japanese statesman Yohei Kono, told Xinhua on Tuesday that the year of 2012 is the worst one since the two countries normalized their relations in 1972, especially for those senior statesmen who endeavored to achieve the normalization.

On Sept. 11, 2012, the Japanese government unilaterally " nationalized" Diaoyu Islands, which are the Chinese inherent territories, and then triggered fierce protests from China, resulting in the current strained bilateral relations.

Yanada said that the Japanese government under the rule of Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) "unilaterally changed the status quo in the disputed islands," adding other behaviors by Japan, such as the announcement by Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara to " purchase" the islands, triggered tensions between Japan and China.

"The Japanese government should admit that there is territorial dispute with China on the islands and back to the trail of shelving dispute and to resolve the issue through talks," said the veteran politician.

Meanwhile, former Japanese diplomat Ukeru Magosaki pointed out that the Japanese government is trying to deny the shelving dispute policy through its political propaganda, as the country is on a way of right deviation.

Magosaki emphasized that as both countries claiming sovereignty of the disputed islands, they should strive to avoid contingencies occurred in the area.

The diplomat, who was the head of the Intelligence and Analysis Bureau under Japan's Foreign Ministry, appreciated that China has showed its self-restraint and called for Japan to return to the principle of shelving dispute.

"But eventually, Japan and China should return to the path of putting dispute aside," Magosaki concluded.

As to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's controversial remarks on history, Yanada said Abe's words were preparations for the upper house election which was held in July.

He went on to say that, however, Abe is making efforts to revise Japan's war-renouncing constitution and the "Murayama Statement" made by then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in 1995 on Japan's reflection and apologies to war-related history. He warned that the international community needs to keep vigilant on the attempt.

"Abe's attempt will not only damage Japan's mutually beneficial relations with neighboring countries, but also will bring negative impacts on Japan's diplomacy in the world," said Yanada.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama told Xinhua earlier this month that he also worried about Japan's right deviation, adding the Japanese public should voice louder against the trend.

"They have to stop the right-deviating by the Abe's administration so as to make the prime minister avoiding going further on a wrong direction," said the former prime minister.