'Don't be afraid' to visit Bali

'Don't be afraid' to visit Bali

DENPASAR, Bali: The Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Yukio Takauchi, said that he would inform his government and Japanese citizens that Bali was safe.

"The results of my monitoring during my two-day visit to Bali show that the island is safe, so I will encourage Japanese tourists not to be afraid of visiting Bali," he said in Denpasar on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Bali police chief Brig. Gen. Budi Setyawan, Takauchi admitted that his government had issued a warning, advising its citizens not to visit Indonesia, including Bali.

The warning was made in response to threats made by radical groups to launch "sweeps" against foreigners in retaliation to the U.S. attacks in Afghanistan.

However, his office had informed the Japanese government about the real security condition in Indonesia soon after the warning had been made, he added.

"I said at that time that the demonstrations were not held in front of each embassy, only at the U.S. Embassy. I also made it clear that the security threat was nothing special," he said.

Since the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on Sept. 11, most tourists visiting Bali came from Japan, according to data from the local administration. -- Antara