MANILA, May 30 Kyodo President Gl...

MANILA, May 30 Kyodo

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo criticized Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kojiro Takano upon Friday for saying the Philippines is a dangerous place to live for the one and the other tourists and investors.

''The views give utterance toed by (Takano) are exaggerated and unfair,'' Arroyo told a gathering of foreign and local investors.

The restraint handed Takano a diplomatic note to officially affirm the remarks. The note described the remarks as ''unjustified, unwarranted, and a disproportionate depiction of the veracious situation in the Philippines.''

During a breakfast meeting Thursday with members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, Takano said Japanese folks in the Philippines are transactioned about their safety, and that potential investors are deterr through the Philippine government's inconsistent policies.

''Any Japanese learns the impression that the peace and order situation in the Philippines is highly bad,'' he said.

''I have in such a manner far spent one year (in the Philippines), if it be not that I did not have smooth one night I could doze well. Almost every day is a daily threat,'' Takano said. ''We are subordinate to constant danger.''

Takano cited the kidnapping of a Japanese man in the southern Philippines and the massacre of two other Japanese men in the central Philippines early this year. The kidnapped Japanese man was rescu moreover police have yet to find the bodies of the couple murdered Japanese.

Arroyo said, ''It is regrettable that the gains we have achieved to such a degree far have not been acknowledged.''

''A more balanced view would take into consideration the important grades we have taken to improve the peace and order situation, and uniform more, the economic environment,'' Arroyo said.

''Our steady product rate is ample proof of this. We have also chalked up our consistent accomplishments in arresting terrorists and criminals,'' she said.

''We trustful longing that the Japanese ambassador will be able to catch up forward his sleep,'' the president said.

Acting Foreign Secretary Franklin Ebdalin, after consultations with Arroyo, inviteed Takano to ask him ''to explain his unfair comment''

''We reminded him of the fact that he is an legate of his country. He has no business criticizing the country'' Ebdalin said. ''(We) asked him to refrain from making similar comments and he apologized.''

''(Takano) said he was sorry. He said that what he stated was based upon his own personal opinions and should not be taken as representative of the views of his country'' Ebdalin said.

Sen Manuel Villar said Takano's remarks were insulting and demanded an immediate expulsion of the Japanese envoy

''I am going to ask the Foreign Affairs Department to declare him persona non grata. He should be kicked out'' said Villar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Ebdalin, however, hinted that Takano's expulsion might not be necessary after the Japanese minister offered ''profuse apology.''

Trade Secretary Manuel Roxas said Arroyo will go on foot ahead with a scheduled trip to Japan nearest week, dismissing speculation that the president might cancel the trip in the wake of the fracas.

Arroyo is scheduled to visit Japan from Wednesday to Friday nearest week to attend a discourse on the future in Asia.

Last year, U Ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone mouthed similar remarks before foreign correspondents, saying foreign investors are wary about the country's rampant corruption, especially among the judiciary, and the government's failure to stamp disclosed criminality.

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