Japan's 'nationalization'of Diaoyu Islands gone too far

The Japanese government's "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Islands has gone too far, said a former speaker of Japan's house of representatives.

Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihar's "islands-purchasing" speech was merely a politician's show, but Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda government's "nationalization of the islands" further worsened the situation, Yohei Kono told the latest monthly magazine "Sekai" or "World" published by Iwanami Shoten.

Japan and China have agreed on the issue to maintain the present status, but Noda's move has gone too far, said Kono.

The series of moves by the Japanese side have made the issue more complicated, derailing Japan from its "foreign policy of peace," he said, adding that Japan's foreign policy should be "rational" and "honest" and take history as a mirror.

Law revisions conducted by the Noda administration in diplomatic and security areas have caused damage to Japan's image of a "peaceful nation", said Kono.

If the Japanese government failed to make proper gestures or release appropriate information as expected, Japan's international image will be greatly tarnished, said the 75-year-old politician.

Kono, a senior member of the Liberal Democratic Party, once served as Japan's chief cabinet secretary, foreign minister, deputy prime minister and speaker of the house of representatives.

During his tenure as the chief cabinet secretary in 1993, Kono made an official statement on "comfort women," expressing "sincere apologies and remorse" for their sufferings.