Lee will be allowed into Japan on condition that he refrain from political activity. China warned Japan against granting Lee an entry visa, regarding the island democracy as a renegade province and any international recognition of it as an affront. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell urged his visiting Japanese counterpart Yohei Kono in a meeting to help jointly check mutual provocation between Taipei and Beijing, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said here Friday. At a briefing held for Japanese reporters after the working lunch between Powell and Kono, the official, who asked not to be named, quoted Powell as saying that the United States and Japan should hold close discussions if they are to be successful in urging Taiwan and mainland China to refrain from provoking each other. Asian security issues were the main topic as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono.
Japan is the cornerstone of our Asia policy.
Japan's understanding of Taiwan has increased because of Lee's contributions. I think that means that Japan becomes, as we have often said, the very centre of the security apparatus in the Asia-Pacific region. The Armitage Report has been presented in the Japanese press as a form of gaiatsu, as pressure on Japan. But that would be a misreading. In fact, the Armitage Report talks about power sharing, about opening the door for Japan to have a larger voice in the alliance, and about having a more balanced partnership.