The Hindu

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2003

Japan to remove war chemicals from China

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE Aug. 25. China has lodged a protest with Japan over the death of a
Chinese national as a result of exposure to some chemical weapons that the
imperial Japanese army had left behind on the Chinese territory at the end
of World War II over half a century ago.

Japan, on its part, has promised to "continue to respond sincerely to the
accident, in close cooperation with the Chinese side''. It was on August 22
that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Tokyo about the death
of one of the victims of what Japan tends to regard as a "poison gas
accident'' that occurred recently at Qiqihar City in China's Heilongjiang
province. Following China's protest, Japan not only expressed its "heartfelt
condolences'' to the family of the deceased person but also held out an
assurance of proper remedial action. "To prevent another such tragedy, the
Government of Japan intends to deal appropriately with the case'', the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in Tokyo.

In particular, Japan said it would now act "in accordance with the Chemical
Weapons Convention'' so as to "dispose of the dangerous chemical weapons as
soon as possible''.

The immediate issue pertains to the fact that several Chinese citizens in
the north-eastern part of the country got exposed in early August to the
mustard gas which was found to have leaked from some chemical weapons that
the Japanese imperial army had abandoned there at the time of its defeat in
World War II.

Conveying the sense of outrage felt by the Chinese people over this episode,
China's State Councillor, Tang Jiaxuan, urged Japan to adopt "a responsible
attitude towards history and speed up the destruction of chemical weapons
they (the Japanese) left in China''.

Mr. Tang, who made these remarks to a visiting Japanese delegation after the
formal protest note had been served, called upon Tokyo to adhere to the
relevant bilateral agreements as also the international convention against
chemical weapons.

Japan should address "the hidden peril'' that had "chronically endangered
the safety of the Chinese people'' in this regard so that this danger could
be `uprooted'.

Mr. Tang did, at the same time, told the Japanese delegates that Beijing
would continue to advocate a good-neighbourly and friendly policy towards
Tokyo.

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