3RD LD: Japan issues visa to ex-Taiwan President Lee, China protests

Asian Political News, Dec 29, 2004

TOKYO, Dec. 21 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING KOIZUMI'S COMMENTS)

The Japanese government issued a visa to former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui on Tuesday for the first time since 2001 despite China's strong protests.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters his administration has issued a visa to Lee ''because a private person has sought to come to Japan on tourism'' and that Tokyo has ''no reason to refuse.''

Japan issued a visa to Lee, 81, at the Taipei office of the Interchange Association, the de facto embassy for Japan, around 10 a.m. local time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said in a news conference.

Lee, along with family members and doctor, is scheduled to arrive at Nagoya airport Dec. 27, and then visit Nagoya, Kanazawa and Kyoto, where his alma mater, Kyoto University, is located, before leaving for home from Nagoya on Jan. 2.

Japan issued a single-entry tourist visa for a visit of up to 15 days, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima.

Following the move, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi expressed strong displeasure and warned it will adversely affect bilateral ties with Japan.

''We want Japan to reconsider it,'' Wang said in a speech in Tokyo. ''It is hard for the Chinese people to understand why Japan favors a man who is speaking ill of and attacking China.''

While labeling Lee as a ''troublemaker,'' Wang said Lee might become a ''war maker'' if his visit is realized.

China, which regards Taiwan as its renegade province and Lee as the main figure behind the independence movement in Taiwan, has repeatedly urged Japan not to issue Lee a visa since the planned trip came to light last Thursday.

Beijing has not ruled out using force if necessary to reunite the island.

But Koizumi played down the Chinese protest, saying, ''Since this is an issue on Taiwan, (China) looks to be very nervous.''

Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Takashima said in a press conference, however, ''We hope China will understand the situation.''

In an apparent attempt to assuage Beijing's anger, Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura and Hosoda, the top government spokesman, asked their colleagues in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party not to contact Lee.

''We want nobody to go and see him,'' Machimura said in an LDP meeting, out of concerns China would consider the visit political in nature if a Japanese politician were to meet with Lee during his visit.

A Foreign Ministry official echoed the concern, saying, ''All we can do is to pray that Mr. Lee enjoys his stay quietly without meeting with any politicians and delivering any (political) speeches as he promised.''

Senior LDP lawmakers have urged the government to grant Lee a visa, saying he is a private citizen who left public life long ago and is eligible to visit Japan as a tourist.

Japan switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1972 but many conservative lawmakers have kept ties with Taiwan.

Lee last visited Japan for five days in April 2001 for heart treatment in Okayama Prefecture after he retired from office in May 2000.