China lashes back at Japan comments
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-06 07:39

The commentary said that Japan agreed the People's Republic of China is the "only one legitimate government" of China when the countries established diplomatic relations in 1972.

"As Japan's top diplomat, Aso failed to honour the Japanese government's commitment, and has thus impaired Tokyo's credibility," the commentary said.

Japan colonised Taiwan from 1895 to 1945 after Japan forced the Qing government to sign the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki and forcibly occupied Taiwan.

During Japan's colonial rule, Taiwanese were forced to study and speak Japanese. Taiwan was returned to China after World War II as required by the Potsdam Proclamation and the Cairo Declaration.

Beijing's ties with Tokyo are deeply strained by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's repeated visits to a war shrine.

The Yasukuni shrine honours Japan's 2.5 million war dead but also enshrines top-level war criminals convicted by an Allied tribunal. Beijing and other neighbours, such as South Korea, say the visits show the government is not sincere in its efforts to atone for the country's wartime aggression.

Aso is no stranger to controversy. Last month he said it would be appropriate for the emperor to visit the Yasukuni shrine. He also said criticism by China of Koizumi's Yasukuni pilgrimages was counterproductive.

"With no doubt, Aso's recent remarks have further strained Sino-Japanese relations," said the Xinhua commentary.