- Title: JAPAN: Former Tokyo governor Ishihara forms new political party
- Date: 13th November 2012
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 13, 2012) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY *) FORMER TOKYO MAYOR SHINTARO ISHIHARA AND TAKEO HIRANUMA WALKING ONTO STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) FORMER TOKYO MAYOR SHINTARO SHIHARA SAYING: "To fight this new war, I will unite the factions to do battle against people representing the old system with this new force. To do that, I will definitely unite the forces." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) FORMER TOKYO MAYOR SHINTARO SHIHARA SAYING: "I don't want to make Japan a second Tibet. What is happening in the Senkakus is happening in the Spratly islands in the South China sea. The Philippines and Vietnam are being affected. If Japan's diplomacy were any good, we would suggest a coalition against China's expansionist policy in the sea but why are we not putting forward that idea? I really think that Japan's Foreign Ministry is absolutely spineless." REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) FORMER TOKYO MAYOR SHINTARO SHIHARA SAYING: "I think Japan should be a stronger, harder country. The majority opinion in Japan towards the Senkaku issue is that Japan should be firm but calm. Shouldn't we both be firm and calm? I think this should, in fact, be the real state of Japan-China relations and if we really want to do it, I think we can." SIGN IN JAPANESE READING: "THE SUNRISE PARTY" ISHIHARA BOWING AND WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 28th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA83JNG6CG3YHWK5FBIW76VENZZ
- Story Text: Former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara forms new political party to contest upcoming election
Outspoken former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara announced the formation of a new political party on Tuesday (November 13) with the apparent aim of becoming a "third force" in an upcoming general election.
"To fight this new war, I will unite the factions to do battle against people representing the old system with this new force. To do that, I will definitely unite the forces," said the 80-year-old.
Ishihara was critical of the Japanese government's stance on its territorial dispute with China over islands known in Japan and Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu, and China's increased naval presence in the South China Sea.
"I don't want to make Japan a second Tibet. What is happening in the Senkakus is also happening in the Spratly islands in the South China sea. The Philippines and Vietnam are being affected. If Japan's diplomacy were any good, we would suggest a coalition against China's expansionist policy in the sea but why are we not putting forward that idea? I really think that Japan's Foreign Ministry is absolutely spineless," Ishihara said.
Ishihara, a writer turned politician, announced in April a plan to buy from their private Japanese owners the disputed East China Sea islets claimed by both Japan and China. That prompted a counter-bid from the central government, which nationalised the islands in September.
By buying the islands, the Japanese government sought to avert a deeper crisis with China but the plan backfired, triggering violent protests in China and calls for a boycott of Japanese goods.
Japanese firms scaled back sales, production and investment in China, which is Japan's top export market.
Though popular in Tokyo, Ishihara remains a divisive figure, admired by many for his rare blunt style, but unpalatable to others because of his tendency to offend.
Ishihara rose to prominence in his 20s as a novelist and entered politics in the late 1960s. In 1989, he made waves with his book "The Japan That Can Say No", co-authored with Sony chairman Akio Morita and calling for Japan to become more assertive with the United States.
Now he is advocating a firmer Japan which can say "No" to China.
"I think Japan should be a stronger, harder country. The majority opinion in Japan towards the Senkaku issue is that Japan should be firm but calm. Shouldn't we both be firm and calm? I think this should, in fact, be the real state of Japan-China relations and if we really want to do it, I think we can," said Ishihara.
He has also advocated changing Japan's pacifist constitution and developing nuclear weapons as a deterrent, citing potential threats from China and North Korea. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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