Tue, August 14, 2012
By Wang Qi, Sina English
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda Wednesday voiced his support for a memorial on the Diaoyu Islands planned by a cross-party alliance of parliament members in memory of Japanese soldiers who were killed in action toward the end of the WWII, Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun reported.
According to related reports, the cross-party alliance of MPs, named “take actions to safeguard Japanese territory,” planned to submit “application” to the Japanese government for a landing on Diaoyu Islands next month.
They intended to hold memorial activities for those Japanese who died during the WWII near the islands.
When asked about the issue, Noda said that the government will hold discussions on the landing application, saying families of those who were killed in war should be fully understood and respected.
Japanese news network also reported Noda suggested his favor of some MPs’ request to hold memorials on Diaoyu Islands.
The Cabinet will work to confirm the fact and make decisions with stability and safe management of the islands taken into consideration, Noda said. According to reports, the alliance in question planned to leave for Diaoyu Islands on August 18, three days after the memorial day which marks the end of WWII.
Japanese News Network disclosed, the alliance, led by a Liberal Democratic Party member, has submitted their application to the central government.
Apart from a few who are families of the war deads, most of those planned in the trip are congress and local MPs in an attempt to “safeguard Japanese territorial sovereignty.”City governor of Ishigaki is also in the group.
The memorial proposal originated in an incident during the World War II when two Japanese vessels, which had withdrew from Ishigaki port and was on its way to Taiwan, were caught and shot to sink by US warplanes when sailing near the Diaoyu Islands. Most people onboard were killed in the incident.
After the war, some had proposed to hold activities dedicated to the memory of those killed in action on the spot but failed to get approval.
Analysts pointed that the memorial drama was only some Japanese politicians’ maneuver intending to change the fact that the Diaoyu Islands are inherently part of China.
Such a move is bound to meet China’s firm objections. China on Wednesday expressed deep concerns and issued strong objection against Japanese Foreign Minister’s recent utterance that the Diaoyu Islands are under the security treaty between Japan and the United States.
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiri Gemba made the remarks Tuesday on a congress meeting and said it had been confirmed by the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated that the Diaoyu Islands has been China’s inherent territory ever since ancient times and China has indisputable sovereignty over it.
Deals concerning the Diaoyu Islands between Japan and the United States are illegal and invalid.
The security treaty between the two countries is bilateral arrangement, which should by no means compromise a third party’s interests, said Chinese Foreign Ministry.
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