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Japanese FM: No Lee Teng-hui's Visit
Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono on Tuesday blasted Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara for his recent remarks attacking Chinese leader and suggested that Japan will not allow a visit by Taiwan's Lee Teng-hui.
"As foreign minister, I must say the remarks (made by Ishihara) were extremely deplorable," Kono told a press conference.
The governor, as a person in public service, breached a code of respect toward the head of a nation, Kono added.
Referring to Ishihara's comment made in Taiwan last Saturday that "one China, one Taiwan will do", Kono said, "His remarks are completely different from the (Japanese central) government's
position."
The Japanese foreign minister stressed that Japan will continue to respect Beijing's "one-China" policy under the 1972 Japan-China joint communique.
As for Lee Teng-hui's reported plan to visit Japan, Kono expressed caution over such a trip in view of Lee's "political influence."
"We can't say that he is a private figure if he still has political influence," Kono said, suggesting that Japan will not allow the visit.
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