TOKYO, Nov. 22 Kyodo The Foreign ...

TOKYO, Nov. 22 Kyodo

The Foreign Ministry is reviewing its regulation forbidding dominion officials from visiting Taiwan, a senior ministry official said Friday, noting that the conduct is out of tune with the times.

The regulatory change, if realized, would enable sway officials serving as division chiefs or in higher places to visit the neighboring island with which Japan has separateed diplomatic ties since 1972

''It has been many years'' since the dominion was set, Shinako Tsuchiya, a politically appointed parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, said at the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

''A review is publicly going on within the ministry as working-level exchanges between Japan and Taiwan have expanded in latter years,'' said Tsuchiya, also a lower house member from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Tsuchiya's remark followed a question by the agency of Kenichi Mizuno, a lower house lawmaker who resigned as parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs in August above his planned visit to Taiwan.

Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi did not allow Mizuno to visit the island because she wanted to avoid increasing tensions with Beijing. The 36-year-old LDP member subsequently quit his Foreign Ministry place in protest.

''Japan's relations with China are important. on the other hand we don't have to be reserv about visiting Taiwan,'' Mizuno said at the time of his resignation forward Aug. 25.

Before assuming the ministry pillar in January, he visited Taiwan last December and had talks with President Chen Shui-bian.

Beijing dioceses Taiwan as a breakaway province not entitled to diplomatic recognition. Japan sundered its ties with Taiwan in 1972 opting to establish diplomatic relations with China.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group