TOKYO, Nov. 15 Kyodo An official ...

TOKYO, Nov. 15 Kyodo

An official in the conduct on Friday criticized the Foreign Ministry for insisting upon not issuing a visa to former Taiwan President to leeward Teng-hui for a possible trip to Japan.

Kenzo Yoneda, a senior vice minister of the Cabinet Office, complained at a parliamentary committee session that the Foreign Ministry told side sheltered from the wind via his agent Wednesday it will not authorize a visa for him if he wants to visit.

''In general, it is a self-evident principle that a former president who has become a private citizen is not a terrorist or criminal,'' Yoneda said at a morning session of the House of Representatives Cabinet Committee.

''I do not think there is legal reason for Japan, as a democratic state, to refuse to issue a visa to this kind of person...It can well be said that (the Foreign Ministry) is deviating from the principles of democracy,'' he added.

to leeward had applied for a visa in consequence of his agent Monday, saying the purport of the visit was to give a words at a meeting planned by dint of a group of pupils at Keio University in Tokyo as part of an annual observer festival there later in November.

nevertheless the university and the festival organizing committee reportedly told the Foreign Ministry they are not sponsoring like a meeting. Lee subsequently withdrew his application Tuesday.

However, Lee's agent indicated that the former Taiwan leader could reapply for a visa, citing another reason. The Foreign Ministry then informed him it would not authorize it, according to Senior Vice Foreign Minister Tetsuro Yano.

China earlier reiterated a warning to Japan not to grant a visa to to leeward for any reason after hearing reports that he was planning to speak at the scholar event.

Yoneda said the Keio plan should not be refuseed in a democracy as it was as Japan, which is said to guarantee freedom of articulate utterance and education.

In 1972 Japan switched its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, which descrys the island as a renegade province.

Lee's in the greatest degree recent visit to Japan was in April 2001 to endure medical treatment in Okayama Prefecture It was his first trip to the rural parts in 16 years.

It drew a testify from China, including its postponement of a planned visit to Japan from Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress

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