Noda seeks to invoke int'l law to justify unilateral action

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on Wednesday bragged about his country's compliance with international law in settling disputes, a move dismissed by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman as "self-deceiving."

Noda devoted much of his speech at the general debate of the UN General Assembly to the rule of law.

"Any state has a responsibility to protect peace, ensure the safety of its people, and protect its sovereignty, territorial land and sea. Japan will also fulfill such responsibility in accordance with international law," Noda said.

"Any attempt to realize a country's ideology or claim by unilateral use of force or threat is inconsistent with the fundamental spirit of the UN Charter and is against the wisdom of human being, thus absolutely unacceptable," he said.

Although the Japanese leader did not specifically mention the disputes between his country and China over the Diaoyu Islands, which have been Chinese territory since ancient times, he was obviously trying to invoke international law and the UN Charter to justify his government's so-called "nationalization" of the islands, observers here said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, in response to Noda's UN speech, said early Thursday in Beijing that the ownership of disputed territory should be solved on historical and legal basis.

He blamed a certain individual country for ignoring historical facts and international law, grossly violating territorial sovereignty of other countries, and openly denying the outcomes of victory of the world anti-fascist war.

"The country seriously challenges the post-war international order and tries to take the rules of international law as a cover. This is self-deceiving," Qin said.

"It must face up to history and earnestly abide by international legal principles, and cease all actions that infringe on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other countries."

When meeting with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that despite China's stern representations and strong opposition, the Japanese side insisted on the so-called "nationalization" of China's Diaoyu Island and its affiliated islands.

The Japanese move was a gross violation of China's territorial integrity and sovereignty, an outright denial of the outcomes of victory of the world anti-fascist war and a grave challenge to the post-war international order, the Chinese minister said.