Howard disputes Japan's travel warnings

Howard disputes Japan's travel warnings

Associated Press, Sydney, Australia

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has challenged Japanese
government warnings against its citizens visiting Australia
because of terrorism fears following last month's Bali nightclub
bombings.

Japan recently cautioned Japanese traveling to, or living in,
Australia that terrorist attacks are possible here in the wake of
the Bali blasts.

"That's a matter for the Japanese. It's not soundly based
though," Howard said on private 3AW radio in Melbourne on Friday.

"There has been a far more serious terrorist attack in Japan
than there has been in Australia," he said. "But we wouldn't warn
people because of that to stay away from Japan."

In 1995, a doomsday cult released nerve gas in the Tokyo
subway, killing 12 and injuring thousands.

"I can only repeat the obvious to our Japanese friends, and
that is that by the standards of most countries, this is a very
safe country," Howard said.

"Nobody can guarantee that any country is completely immune
from a terrorist attack. I can't do that. I can only repeat and
state my scale of assessment of risk."

A series of bombs tore through the nightclub district of the
Indonesian resort island of Bali on Oct. 12. Most of the nearly
200 people killed were Australian vacationers. Two Japanese were
among other foreigners killed.

Japan is a major source of tourists for Australia.

For its part, Australia has also issued travel warnings
against several neighboring countries since the Bali attacks.

Last month the leaders of the 10-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations harshly criticized as unfair travel
warnings issued by several wealthy nations including Australia,
the U.S. and European states.

Meanwhile in Wellington, the New Zealand government on Friday
softened its warning that citizens should not travel to the
holiday island Bali.

Immediately after terror bombs killed nearly 200 people
including three New Zealanders on Oct. 12, the government told
travelers not to go to Bali.

On Friday, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade eased its advice for Bali, saying essential travel can be
undertaken, with suitable security precautions.

Despite softening its advice for Bali, the ministry noted what
it calls a heightened terrorism threat to Westerners and Western
interests throughout Southeast Asia and particularly Indonesia,
and warned against all travel to several Indonesian trouble
spots.

Areas covered are Aceh Province, the Maluku Islands, West
Papua, Sulawesi and West Timor's border area and Belu district.

Travel warnings for parts of the Philippines also remain in
force.