Japan urges China to immediately release remaining Japanese detainee+

TOKYO, Sept. 30 Kyodo -
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged China on Thursday to ''immediately
release'' the remaining Japanese national detained in the country, after China
earlier in the day set free three of the four Japanese detained.
The four Japanese, all employees of Japanese construction company Fujita Corp.,
were held since Sept. 20 in Hebei Province for allegedly entering a military
zone without permission and videotaping facilities there.
The release comes amid some signs of easing on the part of China's stance
against Japan after Japanese authorities released a Chinese fishing boat
captain Saturday following his Sept. 8 arrest over a ship collision off the
disputed Senkaku Islands, and coincides with a two-day visit to China through
Thursday by a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
Just about a week ago, China was demanding that Japan ''immediately release''
the trawler captain who allegedly obstructing one of the two Japan Coast Guard
vessels in performing its duties after intentionally colliding with it. The
captain, who has denied the charge, returned to China on the day of his
release.
Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara told the House of Representatives Budget
Committee earlier in the day that he wants ''to seek a quick resolution'' on
the detention case involving Japanese, in which one remains in China and is
being held for further investigation.
Government officials remained cautious about China's future action, with a
senior Foreign Ministry official saying, ''We cannot totally say that it was
good news because not all four were released.''
Even after the three were freed, the Japanese government remains in the dark as
to why the four nationals were detained in the first place, top government
spokesman Yoshito Sengoku said.
''We're asking China for detailed accounts of the incident and urging it to
ensure the safety of the remaining person,'' Sengoku, chief Cabinet secretary,
said at a news conference.
Sengoku said that since the government has no information regarding the
detentions, it will gather information from the three who were freed.
He also said Tokyo will continue to ask Beijing for continued access to the
remaining person and a quick settlement of the case ''from a humanitarian
standpoint.''
The company's head office in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward drew reporters following the
news of the employees' release, as family members and colleagues welcomed the
release of the three while showing concern for the one still being detained.
A Fujita employee said, ''I'm relieved to hear (they) have been released...but
the other one seems to still be detained. We want him to be released
promptly.''
Fujita issued a comment saying it has ''confirmed the release of the three''
and hopes to see the remaining employee set free ''as soon as possible.''
Fujita added that a Chinese employee of its local unit in China was also
released along with the three.
Meanwhile, both Kan and Sengoku said the Japanese government was not involved
in the unexpected trip by DPJ lawmaker Goshi Hosono to China, which is reported
to be linked to the release of the Fujita employees due to the timing of the
two incidents.
The premier said he has neither heard information from Hosono nor does he
intend to ask Hosono about the latter's China visit.
Hosono told reporters upon his arrival at Narita airport near Tokyo that his
trip to China was a ''personal decision'' and that he did not deliver a message
from the premier to Chinese government officials in a bid to ease strained
Sino-Japanese ties.
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Yutaka Banno, in a separate news
conference, ruled out any connection between Hosono's trip to China on
Wednesday and Thursday and the release of the Fujita employees.
Katsuya Okada, who holds the DPJ's No. 2 post as secretary general, criticized
China's response in not fully explaining to Japanese authorities the reason
behind the detention of the four.
''It's extremely regrettable that so much time has lapsed without us knowing
about what's really going on,'' Okada said at a news conference.
==Kyodo
2010-09-30 23:44:08


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