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April 15, 2001

Minister for Foreign Affairs
Government of Japan
2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919, Japan
Phone: 81-3-3580-3311

Mr. Minister Yohei Kono:

I have been watching on the recent U.S.-China consultations on the collision accident of the U.S. and Chinese Military aircrafts and Japan¡¯s reactions to this affair. As you fully understand, amicable U.S.-China relations are essential to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

However, after I read your April 11, 2001 comments on this affair, it becomes necessary for Asian people to request your government to play a positive as well as a peaceful role in the Asia-Pacific region. In your comment, you only showed concerns of and the welcome for the release of the 24 U.S. spy crew members from China, without any mentioning to Japan¡¯s role to support the U.S. military activities hostile against China until today, or to prevent such accidents in the future.

The U.S. Navy EP-3E electronic spy aircraft, as well as other U.S. surveillance aircrafts, have utilized Kadana and other military bases in Japan to conduct spy activities around China¡¯s coast for so long a time.

I know no one here in the U.S. likes to see a PLA military aircraft appearing in the San Francisco Bay coast (where I am living); I am also certain that on one in Japan likes to see a PLA military aircraft appearing in the Tokyo Bay coast (where you are living). And you are not an ordinary Japanese. You are Japan¡¯s Minister for Foreign Affairs, and your duty is to defend Japan¡¯s sovereignty, which includs not allowing any foreign military forces to utilize military bases in Japan to conduct hostile activities against other Asian countries.

I sincerely request your government immediately stop supporting/providing military bases to the U.S. for any purpose beyond Japan¡¯s self-defense.

Sincerely,

Jing Zhao
Representative, US-Japan-China Comparative Policy Research Institute
Author, THE U.S.-JAPANESE ALLIANCE