EDITORIAL: Fukuda must speak up

The torch relay for the Beijing Olympics got under way amid strict security. Its purpose is to remind the world that the festivities to celebrate peace are drawing near. But in actual fact, the world is casting an increasingly wary eye on China.

The unrest that started in Lhasa in China's Tibet Autonomous Region last month has spread to surrounding areas. Even now, we hear reports of demonstrations and clashes. Hundreds of monks are said to have been detained. What is really happening? We are irritated that no reliable information has come out of Chinese authorities, who hold the key to the situation.

The Chinese government continues to take a tough stand by maintaining the uprising was orchestrated by the Dalai Lama and his supporters. While continuing to control information, Beijing appears to be relying on force to contain protests by monks and citizens.

Many people must have been reminded of the bloody crackdown against pro-democracy activists at Beijing's Tiananmen Square 19 years ago. China today has a far greater presence on the world stage than it had back then. Not to mention its economic clout, China has gained sufficient international trust to be granted the opportunity to host the Olympics. Implicit in that trust is the expectation that China will uphold human rights.

However, the trust accorded to China could come to naught if this situation is not sorted out. It is only natural that nations of the world are criticizing China. There are growing moves among government leaders, including those of the Czech Republic and Poland, to boycott the opening ceremony. Although U.S. President George W. Bush is to attend, some U.S. lawmakers are calling for him to stay away.

This is the grave reality that the Chinese government must accept. If it believes it can dodge criticism because its economic interdependence with other countries is advancing, it is wrong. China is extremely passive to the idea of holding dialogue with the Dalai Lama and his supporters. Even so, it continued to maintain contact with them behind the scenes until last summer. Why not resume talks in order to prevent the situation from deteriorating? The Dalai Lama and his backers have stated clearly that they are not demanding independence. It cannot be impossible to make some concessions so as to bring the situation under control.

We urge Beijing to release the monks in detention and hold dialogue with the Tibetan people about granting them more autonomy. There must be room to recover trust through one small step at a time.

What we don't understand is Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's unwillingness to speak out clearly on this problem. To date, his only utterance has been, "I would welcome talks between the concerned parties in a way acceptable to both sides." Such a comment is tantamount to saying nothing. Is he trying to avoid creating friction ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's scheduled visit to Japan in May? Whatever his reasoning, he should not overlook the seriousness of this problem.

If China becomes a target of criticism and loses the trust of international society, Japan will not be able to turn a blind eye as its neighbor. The prime minister should speak more clearly to China about the seriousness of the Tibet problem.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 3(IHT/Asahi: April 4,2008)