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Japan seeks Zhu visit before G8 summit

TOKYO: Japan, eagerly soliciting other Asian views ahead of a Group of Eight (G8) summit in July, is keen for a visit by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji before that gathering, a senior Japanese official said on Tuesday.

"We have extended an invitation to the Chinese premier to come to Japan this year, and we would prefer that it take place in the first half, preferably before the (G8) summit," Akitaka Saiki, a spokesman for Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, told Reuters.

"We regard it as very important that China, as well as other Asian (countries') views, be reflected at the summit. With China being a very important player and huge presence in this part of the world, we would like to have a close exchange of views in advance of the summit," Saiki said in an interview.

Saiki said, however, that China was unlikely to attend the G8 summit to be held on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, despite calls in some circles for Tokyo to invite Beijing.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, whose government held the presidency of the G8 last year, suggested in November that China be involved in the forum, which now groups the world's seven leading industrial powers and Russia.

Others here have echoed that view.

"China will be very important in the 21st century so it would be good to give it as much of a chance as possible to participate in the summit," Hosei University professor Yuuji Suzuki said in a televised discussion with Foreign Minister Yohei Kono on Sunday.

Japan's own ties with China are often prickly and Saiki steered clear of implying that Tokyo would presume to speak on behalf of Beijing at the summit. "Our interest is to get as many views as possible from Asian leaders ahead of the summit, but I don't think that China would be happy to have Japan present the Chinese view at the summit," he said.-Reuters