DPJ's Ozawa denies influence over imperial audience

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TOKYO, Dec. 14 Kyodo -
Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa denied Monday he has
wielded any influence in arranging a meeting between Emperor Akihito and
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, which has triggered political wrangling over
imperial protocol.
Ozawa also countered criticism on the eve of an exceptional imperial audience
that the ruling party kingpin is trying to use the emperor, whose role is
largely limited to ceremonial functions, for political ends and demanded the
chief of the Imperial Household Agency step down for meddling in government
policies by triggering such an argument.
''It is not the case that I have said a meeting between them should take
place,'' Ozawa said.
The agency announced last week that the emperor will meet with Xi on Tuesday,
despite a rule of protocol that demands prospective foreign visitors submit a
written request for a meeting with the emperor at least one month in advance.
Agency chief Shingo Haketa told a news conference at the time that he received
the request from Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano and told him that
granting a meeting ''will generate considerable concern about the role of his
majesty'' as a symbol of the state.
Ozawa dismissed such an argument on Monday, saying it is possible that all
national events involving the emperor that are held with advice and approval
from the government ''result in the use of (the emperor) for political
purposes.''
''If any bureaucrat (in a division of the Cabinet) wants to say something about
Cabinet policies, he or she should do so after offering to resign,'' Ozawa
said.
Sources involved in Japan-China relations said multiple Chinese officials asked
Tokyo to arrange Xi's meeting with the emperor from the ''broad standpoint of
China-Japan ties,'' while admitting they were acting against the protocol
established in 1995.
The agency on Dec. 7 turned down Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano's
request for the meeting, saying the emperor, who is turning 76 next week and
underwent surgery to treat prostate cancer in 2003, is not in perfect health,
according to the sources.
Ozawa, a former DPJ president, said the emperor should skip events that have
lesser priority if he is not feeling well.
In a press conference on Monday evening, the agency said it has never cited any
health problem with the emperor in dealing with the upcoming meeting.
Earlier Monday, the DPJ said a meeting between Ozawa and Xi had been canceled.
The party did not provide any reason for the cancellation of the talks, which
were originally planned for Tuesday.
Some political observers, however, said the decision has been affected by
criticism of Ozawa from both the opposition camp and the ruling coalition.
==Kyodo
2009-12-15 00:02:20