ID :
163730
Thu, 02/24/2011 - 11:27
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/163730
The shortlink copeid
Tokyo to refrain from using term "illegal occupation" of SKuriles.
TOKYO, February 24 (Itar-Tass) - The Japanese government will not use openly anymore the term "illegal occupation" with respect to the South Kuriles and Seoul-controlled islands of Takeshima (Tokto) not to aggravate relations with Russia and South Korea.
This was intimated on Thursday by Foreign Minister Seizi Maehara and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, speaking at a meeting of the budget commission of the Japanese parliament's lower chamber.
"Those territories are under the rule, having no legal grounds," they repeated the new wording one after the other. The explanations by the foreign minister and the chief cabinet secretary were made in reply to a question by an opposition deputy who demanded a clear statement whether the South Kuriles and Takeshima are under "an illegal occupation by foreign countries".
Maehara, holding other posts in the past, repeatedly and heatedly used the term "illegal occupation" with respect to the South Kuriles. "These words should be repeatedly used," he said, for instance, last October.
However, following his appointment to the post of foreign minister,
Maehara became more cautious in his statements.
The Liberal Democratic Party, the leading opposition force, sharply denounced at parliament on Thursday the new wording with respect to the South Kuriles and the Takeshima Islands. "We send a wrong signal by the very fact that we introduce a taboo on the term illegal occupation," said LDP deputy Hakubun Shimomura.
At the same time, the present adjustment of the terms does not mean that Tokyo changes its approach to the question on the South Kuriles. For instance the Internet site of the Japanese Foreign Ministry claims, as before, that they are under "illegal occupation" by Russia.
This was intimated on Thursday by Foreign Minister Seizi Maehara and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano, speaking at a meeting of the budget commission of the Japanese parliament's lower chamber.
"Those territories are under the rule, having no legal grounds," they repeated the new wording one after the other. The explanations by the foreign minister and the chief cabinet secretary were made in reply to a question by an opposition deputy who demanded a clear statement whether the South Kuriles and Takeshima are under "an illegal occupation by foreign countries".
Maehara, holding other posts in the past, repeatedly and heatedly used the term "illegal occupation" with respect to the South Kuriles. "These words should be repeatedly used," he said, for instance, last October.
However, following his appointment to the post of foreign minister,
Maehara became more cautious in his statements.
The Liberal Democratic Party, the leading opposition force, sharply denounced at parliament on Thursday the new wording with respect to the South Kuriles and the Takeshima Islands. "We send a wrong signal by the very fact that we introduce a taboo on the term illegal occupation," said LDP deputy Hakubun Shimomura.
At the same time, the present adjustment of the terms does not mean that Tokyo changes its approach to the question on the South Kuriles. For instance the Internet site of the Japanese Foreign Ministry claims, as before, that they are under "illegal occupation" by Russia.
