ID :
16083
Sat, 08/16/2008 - 09:35
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/16083
The shortlink copeid
Komura to visit Beijing from Sat. for talks, Olympics
TOKYO, Aug. 16 Kyodo - Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Friday he will visit Beijing starting Saturday for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi, and State Councillor Dai Bingguo.
He said he also wished to cheer on Japanese athletes at the Beijing Olympics and drum up support for Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Games.
In meetings with Yang and Dai on Sunday afternoon, Komura will urge China to speed up investigations into food poisoning cases involving pesticide-tainteddumplings, Foreign Ministry officials said.
He plans also to ask for Beijing's support in pressing North Korea to carry out its promise to reinvestigate its abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970sand 1980s, the officials said.
''I will convey that we would like to strengthen cooperation on the investigations and if we can go into further detail during the discussions, Iwould like to do so,'' Komura said at a morning news conference.
During his trip, Komura will attend a reception hosted by the Japanese OlympicCommittee and will watch the women's marathon and wrestling.
Ten people in Japan fell ill between December and January after eating frozen dumplings made in China. The two countries agreed to a joint investigation butremain apart on the findings, including where the contamination occurred.
In early July, China told Japan that food poisoning cases had also occurred in China involving the same type of dumplings that had never left the country -- arevelation some believe could mark a turning point in the dispute.
''The fact that (China) gave us information, which is not necessarily consistent with what the Chinese investigative authorities have been claiminguntil now, shows China's determination not to be spiteful,'' Komura said.
''I believe that in order to ensure food safety for the Japanese public,getting to the bottom of the cases is more important than anything,'' he added.
Komura will return to Japan on Monday.
==Kyodo
He said he also wished to cheer on Japanese athletes at the Beijing Olympics and drum up support for Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Games.
In meetings with Yang and Dai on Sunday afternoon, Komura will urge China to speed up investigations into food poisoning cases involving pesticide-tainteddumplings, Foreign Ministry officials said.
He plans also to ask for Beijing's support in pressing North Korea to carry out its promise to reinvestigate its abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970sand 1980s, the officials said.
''I will convey that we would like to strengthen cooperation on the investigations and if we can go into further detail during the discussions, Iwould like to do so,'' Komura said at a morning news conference.
During his trip, Komura will attend a reception hosted by the Japanese OlympicCommittee and will watch the women's marathon and wrestling.
Ten people in Japan fell ill between December and January after eating frozen dumplings made in China. The two countries agreed to a joint investigation butremain apart on the findings, including where the contamination occurred.
In early July, China told Japan that food poisoning cases had also occurred in China involving the same type of dumplings that had never left the country -- arevelation some believe could mark a turning point in the dispute.
''The fact that (China) gave us information, which is not necessarily consistent with what the Chinese investigative authorities have been claiminguntil now, shows China's determination not to be spiteful,'' Komura said.
''I believe that in order to ensure food safety for the Japanese public,getting to the bottom of the cases is more important than anything,'' he added.
Komura will return to Japan on Monday.
==Kyodo
