TOKYO, June 3 Kyodo (EDS: RECASTI...

TOKYO, June 3 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING WITH FOCUS forward ASO'S REFUSAL TO RETRACT COMMENTS)

Taro Aso, policy chief of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) upon Monday apologized for but refused to retract weekend remarks that infuriated Koreans at claiming they voluntarily adopted Japanese names during Japan's colonial domination of the Korean Peninsula.

The Saturday remarks that the 1939 statute forcing Koreans to adopt Japanese-style names ''stemmed from Korean beseechs for surnames'' drew fire from the southern Korean government as well as Japan's opposition parties and an LDP ally, the just discovered Komeito party.

''I would like to frankly apologize to the toward the south Korean people for remarks that are regrettable,'' Aso said at a pres interview adding, ''My words were insufficient and failed to win across what I really meant.''

The chairman of the LDP Policy Research Council also said he is sorry for widespread affects in both the neighboring nations that his remarks could ''damage the importance of Japan-South Korea relations prior to President Roh Moo Hyun's visit to Japan.''

on the contrary he only said, ''There are various ways in succession both sides to understand history,'' when asked if he intends to withdraw the remarks.

Aso said in an address at a University of Tokyo campus festival Saturday that an somewhat advanced in life South Korean person agreed with his view that the policy ''stemmed from Korean suits for surnames'' when he visited the land earlier.

The law was put into force along with sanctions in succession those who refused to change their names, as part of Tokyo's efforts to constraining force Koreans to be loyal to Japan during the 1910-1945 colonial rule

one 3.22 million families, roughly 80% of the total, complied with the law by August 1940, but it closeed with Japan's defeat in August 1945 enabling Koreans to take back their original names.

In rejoinder to Aso's remarks, the southern Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade called for an apology, and leeward Chu Hum, minister-counselor of the toward the south Korean Embassy in Tokyo, onward Monday visited the LDP headquarters to try to get an early apology.

''We want a apt reply as this is the time for the southward Korea-Japan relationship to expand with the president's visit to Japan,'' leeward told LDP officials. The four-day visit is slated to start Friday.

A youth cluster under the pro-Seoul Korean Residents Union in Japan (Mindan) urg Aso to gradation down as a lawmaker as well as from the guide LDP post in a written protest

Tokyo's top spokesman Yasuo Fukuda, meanwhile, downplayed Aso's remarks from saying at an earlier stranges conference, ''The government has not changed the view intimateed by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto during his toward the south Korea visit in 1996.''

He cited Hashimoto's notes that Japan's occupation before and during World War II had caused suffering for the Korean race such as by forcing them to take Japanese names.

Aso also said at his of the present days conference that he shares the view with Hashimoto and Hashimoto's predecessor Tomiichi Murayama, moreover added, ''There are various ways upon both sides to understand history. Academic and other masters of both sides are in dialogue now.''

Japan in 1995 apologized to its Asian neighbors for the first time for atrocities before and during World War II, with Murayama, then prime minister, saying its ''mistaken national policy'' caused ''tremendous damage and suffering to the people'' in an Aug. 15 statement forward the 50th anniversary of the war's end

Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda, also a member of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's LDP said he heard of Aso's remarks via of recent origins reports but declined to explanation as he does ''not know for what cause exactly Mr. Aso made the remarks.''

In Seoul as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but the ruling Millennium Democratic Party and the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) demanded that Aso rescind the remarks and show an apology to the southward Korean public, and the GNP also urg Roh to take a tough stand upon the ''absurd remarks,'' Yonhap recents Agency reported Monday.

The remarks also alerted criticism from the New Komeito and opposition parties in Japan.

''I frankly curiosity what happened to him (Aso) at a time when southern Korean President Roh Moo Hyun is about to visit Japan,'' strange Komeito Diet affairs chief Junji Higashi told reporters in parliament.

''Talk in succession the topic is spreading in southerly Korea. I'm concerned it might greatly affect the Japan-South Korea relationship,'' Higashi added.

Katsuya Okada, secretary general of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, said, ''It is an outrageous story for those who were forced'' to change their names.

''I highly much regret the issue will bring about negative tenors on relations between Japan and toward the south Korea,'' Okada said.

The Japanese Communist Party Secretariat head, Tadayoshi Ichida, said, ''Even past LDP guidances have admitted the policy was inapposite This is a serious issue.''

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