Improvement of Japan-China ties needs concrete actions

Bilateral relations between Japan and China have improved and concrete actions should be taken to maintain the momentum, said a Japanese dignitary in Shanghai on Friday.

Yotaro Kobayashi, Japan's chief representative of the New China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Kobayashi said Sino-Japanese relations had witnessed hard-fought improvement after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China last month.

"Figures in Japan's political and economic circles should pay more attention to their remarks and should not deliver senseless speeches at will," said Kobayashi.

He expressed his regret for suggestions made by some senior Japanese officials after the nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that Japan should develop their nuclear weapons. Kobayashi said that giving such opinions at the present time might easily lead to misunderstanding.

These opinions do not represent stances of the Japanese government or views of Japanese people, Kobayashi said, noting that the Japanese people supported the Three Non-Nuclear Principles.

The principles, approved in 1971, state that Japan will not produce, possess or allow nuclear weapons on its territory.

As to the common people's views on Japan-China relations, Kobayashi said Japanese people felt relaxed after Prime Minister Abe's visit to China. All circles of Japanese society welcomed the improvement of bilateral relations and held positive attitudes towards future development of the Japan-China ties.

Kobayashi hoped that leaders of both nations would increase exchanges and step up bilateral cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields.

The New China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century is based on the consensus of the leaders of the two countries. Its goal is to bring together intellectuals from both sides to study relations from a broad political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological perspective, and make proposals to both governments.

The committee has held five meetings since its inception in

July 2003. Kobayashi visited China last month to attend the fifth one. He was here this time as Chief Corporate Adviser of Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.

Source: Xinhua