Acquiescing Koizumi Wants to Meet Leaders of Korea and China

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is planning to communicate his concern for Asia and desire to hold summit meetings with Korea and China in a speech to be given during his visit to four Southeast Asian countries from September 16 to September 22, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported yesterday.

It is reported that he will visit Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, and is likely to give his policy-speech in Singapore on September 20. During the speech, Prime Minister Koizume reportedly plans to explain his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine by saying, ``It was to offer my condolence to the war victims, and to make assurances to not get involved in another war.``

The newspaper also reported that Prime Minister Koizumi will announce his wish to hold summits with Korea and China, and emphasize that Japan is making every effort for development of the Asian economy through economic reform. The policy speech intends to create a favorable atmosphere for meeting with Korea and China, and, at the same time, to reveal Japan’s position toward Asia prior to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which will open in October in Shanghai, China, the newspaper analyzed.

It will be the first time for a Japanese Prime Minister to give a speech about diplomacy in Asia since Prime Minister Obuchi Geizo`s 1998 speech in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Shim Kyu-Sun ksshim@donga.com