'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