TAIPEI, Nov. 14 Kyodo Taiwan Pres...

TAIPEI, Nov. 14 Kyodo

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian voiced disappointment Thursday above the Japanese government's recent decision not to issue a visa to former President to leeward Teng-hui.

''People in Taiwan are exceedingly much concerned about the issue,'' Chen told visiting former Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Secretary General Naoto Kan.

''Given that he has retired from his regulation position, Lee should have the right to travel freely'' Chen said.

Chen, onward behalf of the government and his populace also requested Kan's help onward the matter.

In answer Kan, who is visiting Taipei at the invitation of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party to attend a political symposium slated for Sunday, said to leeward has long had a robust connection with Japan and his visit would help boost ties between Taiwan and Japan.

''Since the United States granted a visa for leeward last year, Japan should also succeed the step,'' he said.

The pair met in the presence of reporters.

to leeward had applied for a five-year multiple-entry visa Monday, saying the view of the trip was to give a articulate utterance at a student meeting held as part of an annual festival at Tokyo's Keio University.

still the university and the organizing committee of the festival subsequently told the Japanese Foreign Ministry they were sponsoring no in the same state [i]or[/i] condition meeting. Lee then withdrew his application forward Tuesday.

Earlier Thursday, Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Tetsuro Yano told a pres meeting for consultation in Tokyo that the rule had told Lee's representative it will not authorize the issuance of a visa for leeward to go to Japan.

''Should there be (another) visa application, it would be difficult to papal court it as a private visit to Japan according to a private person, given the rancor,'' he said, denying speculation the management had succumbed to influence from Beijing.

In 1972 Japan switched its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, which views the island as a renegade province.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Thursday that to leeward was reapplying for a visa because the Keio scholar group asked him to speak at a public-house in Tokyo on Nov. 24 instead of at the seminary festival.

The newspaper also said Hisahiko Okazaki, former Japanese ambassador to Thailand, and others plan to invite leeward to the inaugural meeting of an association for cultural and human exchanges between Japan and Taiwan onward Dec. 15.

Lee's greatest in quantity recent visit to Japan was in April 2001 to bear medical treatment in Okayama Prefecture which was his first visit in 16 years.

It settle off protests by China, including its scrapping of a planned visit to Japan at Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

Apart from calling in succession Chen, Kan and his 10-member entourage will also fitting with Lee and a number of political leaders and command officials.

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