Hatoyama tells S. Korea's Lee DPJ 'not tied' to nationalism

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SEOUL, June 5 Kyodo -
Japanese opposition leader Yukio Hatoyama met with South Korean President Lee
Myung Bak on Friday and vowed to ''look squarely'' at history if he takes power
in Japan.
Hatoyama, who was making his first overseas visit after he was elected leader
of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan last month, sought to outline
his party's foreign policy ahead of a general election in Japan later this year
that could propel him to power.
Meeting Lee at the Blue House presidential office, Hatoyama told the South
Korean leader there is a trend in Japan to glorify Japan's colonial aggression,
but added there are people in Japan who ''look squarely'' at the past.
''There are no people like that (glorifying the past) in the Democratic Party
and we should not be tied to nationalism,'' Lee's spokesman quoted Hatoyama as
saying.
Lee said the DPJ's attitude on the issues of history and relations with
countries in Northeast Asia ''is in line with the trend of the times,''
according to presidential spokesman Lee Dong Kwan.
Hatoyama said, ''Japan, unlike (South) Korea, has not had a change of political
power in a true sense of the word.''
''If (the DPJ) achieves a change of political power this time, the public's
trust in the politics will be restored and emphasis will be placed on relations
with Asia, especially with (South) Korea,'' Hatoyama was quoted as saying.
Lee told Hatoyama that ''Koreans are prepared to make strides toward the future
if Japan makes determination in the issue of history,'' the presidential
spokesman said.
''(Japanese) political leaders need courage (in this regard),'' the president
was quoted as saying.
Speaking to reporters after his talks with Lee, Hatoyama said he and the South
Korean leader share their views on issues of bilateral concern.
''If we take over power, the ties between Japan and South Korea will be closer
than they are today,'' Hatoyama said.
On North Korea's nuclear test last month, Hatoyama and Lee agreed that Japan,
South Korea and the United States should work together to bring China aboard in
getting a strong United Nations Security Council resolution against Pyongyang.
In a separate meeting with South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong O,
Hatoyama also called for ''stern measures'' to deal with North Korea's military
threats that have raised tensions in the region, according to Yonhap News
Agency.
''The most important point is to induce North Korea to a table of dialogue, and
(South) Korea and Japan, which are geographically close to North Korea, are
required to cooperate with each other and also take stern measures as part of a
'carrot and stick' method,'' Hatoyama said during his meeting with Kim,
according to Yonhap.
On North Korea's military threat, Lee said North Korea will not be able to
achieve what they want because South Korea, the United States and Japan stand
united, and China is supporting that stand.
''North Korea is running backward too fast when history is moving forward at a
quick pace,'' Lee was quoted by his spokesman as saying.
In his talks with Hatoyama, Kim proposed the heads of parliaments of South
Korea, China and Japan hold talks on a regular basis to step up cooperation at
the parliamentary level.
Hatoyama said he would convey Kim's proposal to the speaker of Japan's House of
Representatives.
Hatoyama, who took over the DPJ leadership from Ichiro Ozawa on May 16, is
expected to lead the opposition in Japan's upcoming general elections, which
must be held by fall.
He is ahead of Prime Minister Taro Aso in some polls as the preferred Japanese
leader.
==Kyodo