Taiwan president invites Japan ex-PM to visit

Taipei, Sep 28: Taiwan's president has formally invited former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for a landmark visit, a move that could further strain Japan's relations with China.

President Chen Shui-bian sent the invitation yesterday via the Taiwan representative office in Tokyo, asking the outbound prime minister to attend a so far unscheduled opening ceremony for a new high-speed rail line that uses Japanese technology.

China opposes the visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a scheduled briefing today.

''We oppose Taiwan authorities' creating separatist activities on the international stage in any name or with any excuses,'' Qin said. ''We hope the Japanese side could be on high alert to this as well and handle the Taiwan issue properly under the 'One China' Principle.'' Chinese officials see self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and frown on any visits by major politicians from other countries.

They have called Japan's involvement in Taiwan's affairs, including visits by right-wing lawmakers, a top concern in Sino-Japanese relations, which suffer from other political and historical issues.

China lashed out at Koizumi during his five-year term as prime minister because he visited a shrine that pays tribute to Class A World War II criminals among other war dead.

A Koizumi visit should not upset China, said Taiwan presidential office spokesman David Lee.

''Japan is a sovereign, independent country, and Koizumi is allowed to have his own ideas,'' Lee said. ''Koizumi has made some pretty good contributions to Japan-Taiwan relations.'' Koizumi's office declined to comment on whether it had received an invitation from Taiwan, but Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a news conference that Koizumi had received an invitation.

''But he is no longer prime minister, simply another lawmaker.

This is not something for the government to comment on,'' Shiozaki said.

Koizumi remains a member of the Japanese parliament after giving the prime minister's reins to Shinzo Abe on Tuesday.

Japan's foreign minister has said Abe may meet with Chinese officials in an effort to repair relations.

Taiwan's multi-billion dollar bullet train, begun in 1998, will use Japanese Shinkansen technology to cut travel time on the 345-km journey from the capital Taipei in the north to Kaohsiung in the south to as little as 90 minutes from about five hours. The line is expected to open before the end of the year.

Reuters