Japanese official favors three-way FTA

A trilateral free trade agreement among China, Japan and the Republic of Korea will have a "positive impact" on the participants and will stimulate the regional economy, said Japanese Deputy Cabinet Secretary Noriyuki Shikata in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

The signing of a trilateral investment agreement on May 13 marked "the first legal instrument" among the three countries in the economic arena and "is a very significant step forward" in economic relations, Shikata said.

"Today is a special day in the sense that we have agreed on an investment agreement, and we agreed to move on to the next stage of a trilateral FTA," he said.

Shikata also said the three sides are working together to promote trade and investment.

" If we combine the GDP of Japan, China and South Korea, it accounts for almost 20 percent of the global GDP."

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan.

Shikata stressed the importance of youth exchanges between the two nations to boost friendship.

Maritime talks

On May 15, Japan and China are scheduled to hold the first high-level maritime talks in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province.

Shikata said Japan has positive expectations about the upcoming talks.

Although both sides are in an initial stage of exchanging views and lack a detailed blueprint for the coming meeting, intensive discussions are expected to take place for "better overall communication and coordination" in maritime affairs, Shikata said.

"Ocean-related issues are something in which China and Japan have a shared interest. We need to ensure the ocean remains peaceful," Shikata said.

Officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry and State Oceanic Administration will talk with their counterparts from Japan to eliminate further conflicts within the waters around the Diaoyu Islands, which have been historically a part of China, and the adjacent islets, Tokyo expects to boost efficiency between agencies concerned. It endorsed the establishment of new communication channels and encouraged continued efforts to build confidence, Shikata said.

"If some kind of incident takes place, we wish to keep it under control," he said.

Agreements on search and rescue cooperation and communication between authorities are also on the agenda, Shikata said.

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara's recent call for Japan to purchase the disputed Diaoyu Islands -- claimed by both countries -- reflects his own initiative and should be considered an "independent action", Shikata said.

Last month, the Tokyo governor said his city prefecture is negotiating with the "owner" of the islands in hopes of "buying them by the end of this year". The prefecture is engaged in a campaign promoting the move and raising funds.

Japan's cabinet does not intend to come up with an "emotional reaction" regarding the Diaoyu islands issue, Shikata indicated.

Shikata said that Prime Minister Noda himself is continuing to consider various options to maintain peace and stability on the disputed islands, and he did not comment on the possible impact it would have on bilateral ties if the purchase were made.