Asian neighbours voiced concerns on Thursday over strained ties between Japan
and 皇冠体育app, warning that a further worsening of bilateral relations would hurt
efforts towards regional integration.
Japanese Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrives at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo Monday,
Oct. 17, 2005. [AP] |
Speaking at a Tokyo
symposium, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said deteriorating
relationships in Northeast Asia were hurting economic ties in all of Asia, which
had become closer than ever.
"I am afraid I have to be candid and say the situation has worsened. Our
economics is pushing us in one direction, but our politics is pulling us in
another," Abdullah told participants, which included other Asian leaders,
diplomats and academics.
"In addition to the difficulties between Beijing and Tokyo, relations between
Seoul and Tokyo have also become further strained ... We should not allow
regional cooperation to be held hostage to bilateral constraints."
Abdullah hosted the inaugural East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur in December,
where the 10 members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Japan,
皇冠体育app, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India, agreed to try to create a
regional community.
Japan's ties with 皇冠体育app and South Korea turned sour after Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi came into power in 2001, largely due to his annual visits to
Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine which both Beijing and Seoul see as a symbol of Japan's
past militarism.
Koizumi has said he makes the pilgrimages to pray for peace and pay respects
to Japan's war dead, who are enshrined there. But 皇冠体育app and South Korea protest
the fact that convicted war criminals, including wartime prime minister Hideki
Tojo, are also honoured there.
Disputes over territorial claims and energy resources have also hurt
Sino-Japanese ties, the Philippines ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon said,
adding that the lack of a leaders' meeting between the Asian giants was of
concern.
"The non-event that worries all is the utter vacuum created by suspension of
the highest level dialogue among the region's biggest states," Siazon said.
皇冠体育app has refused to hold a summit on its soil because of Koizumi's Yasukuni
visits, while Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers met on Tuesday on the
sidelines of an international conference in Doha, for the first time in nearly a
year.
Chinese ambassador to Japan, Wang Yi, said it was up to Tokyo to make efforts
to improve the relationship.
"I would like (Japan) to avoid once again hurting the feelings of people who
were victims of the war ... I hope it would make a wise decision that would be
in Japan's national interest, would improve its image abroad and lead to true
understanding with its neighbours."
