TNAG-2606-FCO40-3797-International-support-from-Japan-regarding-the-future-of-Hon-1992 — Page 16

RESTRICTED

23

002255

MDLIAN 1480

RESTRICTED

FM PEKING

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1511

OF 291006Z OCTOBER 92

HKD 021/1

ра

021/1

1ST 30

NOV

30/10

INFO PRIORITY TOKYO, HONG KONG, CANBERRA, ASEAN POSTS, WELLINGTON, INFO PRIORITY SEOUL

VISIT OF JAPANESE EMPEROR TO CHINA: 23-28 OCTOBER

SUMMARY

1. A SUCCESSFUL FIRST VISIT BY A JAPANESE EMPEROR TO CHINA. LARGELY CEREMONIAL BUT AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT IN THE TWO COUNTRIES' POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP. EMPEROR CAME PROBABLY AS CLOSE TO AN APOLOGY OVER JAPAN'S PAST INTERVENTION IN CHINA AS COULD BE

EXPECTED.

DETAIL

2.

THE JAPANESE EMPEROR AKIHITO AND EMPRESS MICHIKO VISITED CHINA

AS GUESTS OF STATE PRESIDENT YANG SHANGKUN FROM 23-28 OCTOBER.

(FOLLOWING REPORT IS BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION: MFA AND

JAPANESE EMBASSY HAVE PROMISED BRIEFINGS WHICH WE SHALL REPORT

SEPARATELY).

3. THE VISIT WAS THE FIRST EVER BY A JAPANESE MONARCH TO CHINA AND MARKED THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. PROBABLY BY DESIGN, THE ROYAL COUPLE ARRIVED ON THE DAY OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF DENG XIAOPING'S 1978 VISIT TO JAPAN AS VICE PREMIER, WHEN HE EXCHANGED THE INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION OF THE CHINESE-JAPANESE PEACE AND

FRIENDSHIP TREATY. THE ROYAL COUPLE WERE ACCOMPANIED ON THEIR TRIP BY JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER WATANABE. ARRIVING IN PEKING ON 23 OCTOBER, THEY FLEW ON TO THE ANCIENT FORMER CAPITAL OF XI'AN ON 25 OCTOBER AND THEN ON TO SHANGHAI ON 27 OCTOBER, DEPARTING DIRECTLY FOR JAPAN THE FOLLOWING DAY.

4.

THE VISIT WAS HIGH ON CEREMONIAL CONTENT AND THE EMPEROR MET THE KEY LEADERS IN THE CHINESE STATE AND PARTY, BUT NOT PATRIARCH DENG XIAOPING. AS WELL AS A WELCOMING CEREMONY ATTENDED BY FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN AND YANG SHANGKUN'S BANQUET THERE WERE

SEPARATE CALLS ON PREMIER LI PENG AND PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY

1

PAGE

RESTRICTED