China condemns attack on consulate
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-04-23 23:33

A large vehicle belonging to a Japanese right-wing group rammed the front gate of the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka early Friday.

Nobody was injured in the incident but Chinese Government officials were quick to condemn the move.

The ram, at about 3:35 am, set fire to the vehicle and badly damaged the gate, said Huang Xingyuan, a spokesman of the Chinese Embassy.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Japanese police arrested the perpetrator, who is a member of a Japanese right-wing group.

This is the most serious attack against Chinese diplomatic facilities in Japan since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1972, Huang said.

China was quick to comment on the attack.

Kong said China strongly condemns the unscrupulous act of the Japanese right-wing and is greatly discontented with the fact that Japan failed to prevent it.

Kong said China lodged a solemn representation to Japan and asked for a prompt and thorough investigation, punishment of the perpetrator as well as damages.

China has also asked Japan to stop similar event from happening again, he added.

"It is a serious event that threatened the personal and property safety of the Chinese diplomatic mission," Kong said.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda has apologized for the incident to the Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Dawei.