Japan Plays Down Rohs Tough Message
The Japanese government and media interpreted President Roh Moo-hyuns live televised special statement, which took place on Tuesday as a speech aimed at appeasing the Korean people.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters that this is a good time for a summit meeting to improve faltering relations between Korea and Japan. His official reply to President Rohs statement was that Japan would seek a calm reaction without harming the relationship between the two countries.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso also said that President Roh expressed his views and that Japan will try hard to shape a future-oriented relationship with Korea.
The most common reaction that the Japanese have shown is that the statement was intended to please Koreans.
A high-ranking Ministry for Foreign Affairs official said, The speech was aimed at quelling criticism among Koreans that Japan gained more from the negotiations than Korea.
Another official said, His tone was tough, but he did not say anything that goes against the vice-minister level negotiations regarding Takeshima. We knew that President Roh would speak this way, to satisfy the Korean people.
Nihon Keizai Shimbun said that the statement was aimed to subdue criticism of the Korean governments disappointing negotiating performance and to divert such anger towards Japan.
The Japanese media also reported that the Japanese government is expecting the Roh administration to continue toughening its stance, so as to help the ruling party with the local elections coming up in May.
Japanese reporters say that this is why the Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe pushed back director-level negotiations on the demarcation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to after the elections.
The foreign press treated the special statement as urgent news.
The Associated Press reported that President Roh declared that Japans territorial claim denies Koreas complete liberation and independence from Japan. Agence France-Presse reported that President Roh, during a 10-minute speech, urged Japanese leaders to stop insulting Koreas sovereignty and pride.
Chinas New China News Agency wrote in an article titled Japans provocation that President Roh vowed to respond aggressively to Japan.
Young-A Soh sya@donga.com
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