Japanese Premier Rejects China’s Demand for Apology

NYT ^ | 9/26/2010 | Keith Bradsher and Martin Fackler

[ex-Texan]

HONG KONG — Tensions between China and Japan over the arrest of a Chinese trawler captain took another turn for the worse Sunday as Prime Minister Naoto Kan of Japan rejected China’s repeated demand that Tokyo apologize and offer compensation for the incident.

The Chinese authorities also flexed their muscles on a wider front, becoming more assertive on trade policy, even as they continued to hold four Japanese nationals whose detention two days ago was widely seen as a move by China to put pressure on Tokyo to release the captain, who was welcomed home to China early Saturday.

The unannounced halt on shipments of rare earth minerals to Japan continued over the weekend, while the Chinese Commerce Ministry imposed steep tariffs Sunday on poultry imports from the United States. * * *

[ex-Texan]

Japan refuses to apologize . . . Good for them. Suddenly nations are supposed to follow Barack Obama's lead and apologize at the drop of a hat every time somebody's feathers get ruffled ____ ? The last time I looked, Japan still has not apologized for the raping thousands of women in World War II or for other terrible war crimes. Likewise Russia. But that was then and this is now. IMHO: China ought to apologize for it's outrageous and unfair currency manipulation. Also for allowing wholesale rip offs of goods made in America and other western nations. But that will never happen.

[ex-Texan]

*Ping*!

[Quix]

Interesting to a point.

Orientals are artists at the game of flinch.

Stillllll . . .

Dimitru Duduman insisted from his dreams and visions that Japan would side with China in invading our left coast and be ‘given’ Hawaii for their part.

They evidently already own a huge chunk of it! LOL.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” IMHO: China ought to apologize for it’s outrageous and unfair currency manipulation “

I wanna be a fly on the wall.... ;-)

[eleni121]

There is certainly no sense of morality whatsoever in international politics.

To blame China for doing what it does is ridiculous though. China has been granted favored trade status. Why would a nation refuse to behave legally when given permission to do so? What about the US? Have those operating in this country and often in government not done equally egregious things in the financial world of rape roulette?

We still deal with nations that are actively seeking to destroy us.

AS for your comment on Russia-—you need to remember that it was the Russian people who suffered the most under the Bolshevik domination all those years. And the Germans have never apologized for the bloody butchery it committed throughout Europe. Dittoes for the worst of all: the Turks.

[Gay State Conservative]

Outstanding! China has the nukes but,today,Japan holds *all* the other cards.The Japanese PM need only announce that his cabinet is “reevaluating” their “open trade” agreements with China and *China* will start apologizing to *Japan*!

[ASOC]

LOL

What makes you think that Japan does not have nuke weapons or at least the conponaents that could be quickly assembled?

We have been selling weapons grade Pu to them for decades.... And they have proven tech that could be used to deliver those potential weapons .... anywhere on Earth.

From http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/japan/nuke/
On the strength of its nuclear industry, and its stockpile of weapons-useable plutonium, Japan in some respects considers itself, and is treated by others as, as a virtual nuclear weapons state.

[B4Ranch]

Japan in some respects considers itself, and is treated by others as, as a virtual nuclear weapons state.

They are smart enough not to brag about it.

[righttackle44]

What makes you think that Japan does not have nuke
weapons or at least the conponaents that could be quickly
assembled?

And if not nukes, they still have Godzilla, Mothra and
Gamera.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

Eh? The Germans have been nothing but apologetic and repentant for their role in the Holocaust...

[Razzz42]

Interesting how an island country that can be brought to its knees by earthquakes and typhoons has no problem pin pricking China.

Anyway, it’s all about the natural resource rights in the surrounding, often called disputed, waters.

[HollyB]

Anyone remember if China apologized after they held our pilots in 2001, just after Bush W took office? Pompus.

[chilltherats]

Yeah....and face it.....the ChiComs could not possibly care less about this trawler captain. They care nothing about individual citizens or their rights.

[Quix]

Wellllllllllllll

there are plenty of flies on plenty of walls . . . in the orient.

[eleni121]

I was referring to the other 15 million victims - Christians throughout Europe. Hardly one word - not one statement in apology or commemoration anywhere.

Germans and Austrians and their clients such as the Bosnian and albanian muslims butchered men women and children during the time they rampaged.

http://www.distomo.gr/history/massacre.htm

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks ex-Texan.

• Japan Caves In on China; Looks to U.S (mommy, please make it go away) -- "...Seiji Maehara said Tokyo would participate in a broader "strategic dialogue" with the U.S., "cooperating more closely" on policy toward China, North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan and other countries... China rejected a proposed summit meeting, canceled cultural exchanges and energy-development talks, and warned of economic damage. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao threatened "further action" against Japan if Beijing's demands for the release of the captain weren't met... "Any so-called judicial procedures conducted by Japan against the Chinese captain are illegal and invalid," a ministry spokeswoman said. The dispute over the fishing vessel, which was operating in waters that Japan considers part of its territory, comes against a backdrop of concern in Japan and elsewhere about China's growing military power. China's navy, especially, has become stronger and is ranging further offshore, causing some at the Pentagon and in Tokyo to reassess the potential threat posed by China."