Japan`s Nakasone says agreed with China to urge N. Korea restraint

BEIJING, March 1 Kyodo -
Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Sunday he agreed with senior
Chinese officials to urge North Korea not to launch what it says is a satellite
but others suspect is a long-range ballistic missile.
After separate talks with his counterpart, Yang Jiechi, Premier Wen Jiabao and
State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Nakasone said the two countries agreed to try not
to let a recent flare-up over disputed isles harm overall bilateral relations.
''Tension is rising greatly, and there are worries,'' Nakasone told reporters
at a Beijing hotel, referring to North Korea's possible missile launch. ''We
agreed to seek (North Korea's) restraint.''
Nakasone said he told the Chinese officials Japan believes that a launch of the
object would be in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in
2006 that prohibits North Korea from engaging in any ballistic missile
activities.
''Even if North Korea says that it is a satellite, if it launches it ....it is
clearly in violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution,'' he said.
When asked whether China agreed with that notion, Nakasone said the officials
did not present their views on that particular point.
''The Chinese did not say whether they see it that way or not, but of course
they have deep concerns and have been working to urge restraint,'' Nakasone
said.
''We will continue urging North Korea not to go ahead with the launch,'' he said.
On bilateral relations, Nakasone said the two sides agreed not to let
differences over the disputed isles in the East China Sea spill over into
overall relations.
''Both sides are of the view that we should not let these issues cast a shadow
on bilateral relations,'' he said.
Nakasone's visit, his first to China since taking office in September, came
shortly after China issued a stern protest against recent remarks by Japanese
Prime Minister Taro Aso, who said the disputed islets are Japanese territory
and fall under the security alliance between Japan and the United States.
The islets, known in Japan as the Senkaku and in China as the
Diaoyu, are claimed by China, Japan and Taiwan.
Nakasone said the series of talks from Saturday also covered a case of tainted
Chinese-made frozen dumplings that made people sick in Japan and a dispute over
gas exploration rights in the East China Sea.
Nakasone said he urged China to get to the bottom of the dumplings case, which
occurred more than a year ago, to which the Chinese replied that they are
moving ahead with investigations.
''We agreed on the complete provision of information (by China) over the
case,'' Nakasone said.
Nakasone said he conveyed to Chinese officials Aso's wish to visit China at an
early date.
''I asked for the Chinese side's coordination and consideration'' for an early
visit, he said.
The two countries have agreed on reciprocal visits by their leaders. Chinese
President Hu Jintao and Wen visited Japan last year, and it is Aso's turn to
visit China this year.
Nakasone, who arrived in Beijing on Saturday for a two-day visit, met with Yang
on Saturday and Wen and Dai on Sunday.
==Kyodo