Governor Ishihara must apologize for his outrageous remarks: JCP Shii

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo said that Tokyo Governor Ishihara Shintaro must withdraw his statement practically condoning terrorism regarding the attempted bomb attack on a senior Foreign Ministry official's home.

Shii stated this on an interview program aired by communication satellite television ASAHI NEWSTAR on September 11, referring to Ishihara's statement that "it was natural" that Tanaka Hitoshi, deputy Foreign Minister, come under such an attack because of his conduct in diplomacy with North Korea.

Given Tokyo Governor Ishihara's responsibility for the security of Metropolitan Tokyo, Shii continued, "This is so serious a matter that whether Mr. Ishihara is qualified to be the Tokyo governor must be called into question. The JCP demands that Ishihara immediately withdraw the statement in question and apologize."

Analyzing Governor Ishihara's contempt of the Chinese people and his repeated statements justifying a war on North Korea, Shii said that all these remarks by Ishihara are "based on a dangerously national chauvinistic view of other Asian peoples."

"He has again revealed his dangerous tendency as a politician," Shii said.

Concerning the issue of Japan-North Korea relations, Shii stressed, "It is natural that Japan need to question North Korea's problems, but it can deal with them in a forward-looking manner only when by listening to reason."

"The governor is damaging Japan's national interests and destroying democracy when he tries to create an atmosphere that condones terror against the Foreign Ministry official on the grounds that the official has acted to accommodate North Korea. " (end)