Abe to seek China's backing for UN bid

Bid for permanent Security Council seat on agenda for Wen's Tokyo visit


TOKYO - PREMIER Shinzo Abe said yesterday he would seek China's backing for Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council when his Chinese counterpart visits Tokyo next month.

Mr Abe's coming summit with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is the latest sign of a thaw in Sino-Japanese ties, which grew frosty under Mr Abe's predecessor Junichiro Koizumi.

The strain was due partly to Mr Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which is seen by Beijing as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Mr Wen will be the first Chinese leader to come to Tokyo since 2000 when his predecessor Zhu Rongji did so.

Mr Abe has tried to mend fences with China, travelling to Beijing for a summit soon after taking office in September last year.

'I would like to use the opportunity of Premier Wen's visit to Japan to build reciprocal strategic relations between Japan and China and move a step forward,' Mr Abe told a news conference.

'I would like to try to secure support from China for Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.'

Energy cooperation will also be high up on the agenda during Mr Wen's visit from April 11 to 13.

'Our cooperation based on active discussions will lead to peace and prosperity in the region,' said Mr Abe yesterday.

'I hope we will engage in dialogues over a broad range of issues. We can cooperate especially in the environment and energy sectors.

'I'm sure China shares the same view,' he added.

Mr Wen will meet Mr Abe, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko during the visit, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

An official with Japan's Agency of Natural Resources and Energy said yesterday that Trade Minister Akira Amari was expected to meet Mr Ma Kai, head of China's energy policy-setting National Development and Reform Commission, when Mr Wen is in Tokyo.

About 50 Chinese companies, including the country's top oil and gas producer, China National Petroleum Corporation, will be in Tokyo to expand business ties with about the same number of Japanese firms.

Japan and China had earlier announced the visit without giving the exact dates.

According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, the trip has been shortened to three days after Mr Abe sparked protests in Asia and in the United States earlier this month by saying there is no evidence that Asian women were forced into sexual slavery by Japan's military during World War II.

Mr Abe, trying to contain the damage, on Monday renewed an apology made by Japan to the so-called 'comfort women' in 1993.

But he did not acknowledge state responsibility in the rounding up of the women.

The US State Department, which has urged Japan to take responsibility for its role in the sex slavery, described Mr Abe's apology as a 'step forward'.

'But we certainly would want to see the Japanese continue to address this and to deal with it in a forthright and responsible manner that acknowledges the gravity of the crimes that were committed,' said State Department spokesman Tom Casey.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry would only say yesterday that its position on the issue is clear and there is no need to react to the renewed apology.

China has been calling on Japan to face up to this part of history.