Ex-Taiwan leader Lee tours Kyoto

Asian Political News, Jan 10, 2005

KYOTO, Dec. 31 Kyodo

Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui on Friday toured Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto, where he attended university when Taiwan was a Japanese colony.

After arriving in the western Japan city in the morning on the Shinkansen bullet train, Lee and his family headed for the snow-covered Ginkakuji, one of the country's most famous temples.

There he was asked by Taiwan's media contingent to comment on what has been described as his ''silent trip'' amid strong protests by China over Tokyo's decision to allow the weeklong visit.

Instead, Lee talked about Japanese culture, saying he is here to explore Japanese ways of thinking and living.

''Japan is a nice country in good order,'' he noted. ''The experience is helpful to Taiwan.''

When further asked by Taiwanese reporters to make a New Year's wish, Lee, known as a follower of the leading Japanese Buddhist philosopher Kitaro Nishida (1870-1945), said Taiwan's people should continue to work on strengthening a ''Taiwan identity'' in the coming year.

Later in the day he called on a former tutor at his alma mater Kyoto Imperial University, currently known as Kyoto University. Upon meeting the 97-year-old agricultural economist Yuken Kashiwa, Lee bowed deeply and presented him with a ceramic pot and tea from Taiwan.

The two spoke privately, with hearty laughs heard from time to time by a crush of news media gathered in the backyard.

''I'm so glad (to see Lee),'' Kashiwa told reporters after the 30-minute meeting. ''Lee was an outstanding student, and now he has become a great man.''

Smiling broadly, Kashiwa said of the 1.85 meter tall Lee, ''He was much taller than the other boys when he was studying here, and he still is.''

Lee arrived in Japan on Monday on his first visit to Japan since a five-day trip he made in April 2001 for heart treatment.

During his 12 years as president, Lee strove to carry out democratization as well as to promote Taiwanese identity at home and to raise the island's profile abroad, viewed by many as steps to distance the island from China.

China sees the island as part of its inseparable territory that should be brought back to the fold, by force if necessary.