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Published September 23, 2009

Japan PM proposes East Asian community to China

Email this articlePrint article Feedback(NEW YORK) Japan Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama made his global debut on Monday with a message of reconciliation to China, asking President Hu Jintao to work together for a European Union-style East Asian community.

'I told Mr Hu that I would like to form an East Asian community by overcoming differences', including a dispute over exploitation rights for gas fields lying near islands that both countries claim in the East China Sea.
- Mr Hatoyama Japan's new centre-left leader is here to attend a special session of the UN General Assembly. He also plans to meet world leaders at the Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh later this week.
Mr Hatoyama, who advocates an easing of Japan's long prickly ties with its giant neighbour, told Mr Hu at a meeting on Monday that he intends to push the vision of an East Asian community to unify the region, possibly under a single currency.
'I told (Mr Hu) that I would like to form an East Asian community by overcoming differences', including a dispute over exploitation rights for gas fields lying near islands that the two countries claim in the East China Sea, Mr Hatoyama told reporters.
Mr Hu stopped short of agreeing to the proposal but said that he wants to 'make it a peaceful and friendly sea' by tackling sticking points, a Japanese government official said.
Mr Hatoyama's Democratic Party of Japan ended more than half a century of almost unbroken conservative rule in a sweeping election victory last month.



While few expect East Asia to immediately overcome wartime memories and create an Asian Union, his tone marked an unmistakable sign from Japan's new leader that he wants to work with, rather than against, a rising China.
Mr Hatoyama said that he would follow a landmark statement of apology for Japan's wartime aggression which was issued in 1995 by then-prime minister Tomiichi Murayama - one of the few other left-leaning leaders in modern Japan.
'I highly praise your stance of sticking to the Murayama statement over the recognition of past history,' Mr Hu told Mr Hatoyama, acccording to the Japanese official.
Mr Hatoyama recently proposed to build a new state memorial to serve as an alternative focus to the controversial Yasukuni shrine, which honours war dead but also 14 convicted war criminals and is often seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.
Mr Hatoyama also plans to meet South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak in New York today ahead of a planned three-way summit of Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo next month.
At his meeting with the Japanese premier, Mr Hu welcomed Mr Hatoyama's pledge to dramatically step up Japan's commitment to fighting climate change by pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020. Mr Hatoyama is expected at a special UN climate summit on Tuesday to also offer help to poor countries to combat climate change.
Chinese officials have also indicated that they expect a strong statement from Mr Hu to break a diplomatic logjam in climate negotiations.
The Japanese official said Mr Hu told Mr Hatoyama that China would 'also make an effort to achieve success' at a December meeting in Copenhagen meant to seal a post-Kyoto treaty.
Relations between Japan and China plunged to modern lows during the 2001-2006 premiership of Junichiro Koizumi, who annually visited the Yasukuni shrine and sought a greater global role for Japan.
But some analysts predict that hiccups in relations will remain under Mr Hatoyama, who has called for Japan to be more outspoken on human rights including Tibet, where China sent troops in 1950 and last year clamped down on protests.
The Japanese official said that Mr Hu told Mr Hatoyama, 'I would like you to understand the Tibet issue'.
Mr Hatoyama replied: 'Basically, we regard it as a domestic issue, but I hope this will be resolved through dialogue.' - AFP