Japan's Murayama steps into Asian Games dispute

Japan's Murayama steps into Asian Games dispute

TOKYO (Reuter): Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama for
the first time yesterday stepped into the diplomatic row which
threatens the Asian Games clearly advising Taiwan not to send its
president to the event.

In a sign of how concerned Japan has become about China's
threatened boycott of next month's Games in Hiroshima because of
an invitation to Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, Murayama
reminded Taiwan that Tokyo has a one-China policy.

Murayama, who until now had remained aloof in the hope the row
could be sorted out by sports officials, told reporters:
"Although we should hear circumstances on the matter precisely,
it may be difficult to realize Lee's visit to Japan."

Murayama said under a 1972 Japan-China joint communique Tokyo
officially recognized Beijing as the only Chinese government
while severing diplomatic ties with Taipei.

On Monday a group of Taiwan lawmakers urged Japan not to bow
to Chinese pressure to stop Lee from attending the event.

"We urge the Japan government to face the fact of friendly
ties between the two sides, especially the very friendly
unofficial contact, and to let President Lee go," legislator
Tseng Yung-chuan, told reporters outside the Interchange
Association, Japan's representative office in Taipei.

Meanwhile, Kyodo news agency said Olympic Council of Asia
president, Ahmad al-Fahad of Kuwait, blamed by some Japanese
officials for the controversy, also hinted that Lee's invitation
might be withdrawn.

"My invitation to Taiwan's President Lee is proper. But
there's a possibility it will be changed," Kyodo quoted the OCA
president, as saying.

The invitation, extended earlier this summer by the OCA
president, is causing major headaches for Japanese officials.

Kyodo said Ahmad was speaking in Paris after a meeting there
on Monday with International Olympic Committee members from
China, Taiwan and Japan.