BEIJING/SEOUL

China on Friday praised former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, who died on the day, as a clear-sighted politician who made crucial contributions to the development of Japan-China relations.

Nakasone "was a veteran Japanese politician with vision," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a press conference.

"He was enthusiastic in promoting friendly exchange and practical cooperation with China, making important contributions to our bilateral relations," Geng continued.

Nakasone established close ties with former Communist Party of China leader Hu Yaobang. But China criticized Nakasone for making an official visit to Yasukuni Shrine, considered a symbol of Japan's past militarism in China and elsewhere.

The death of Nakasone was reported by China Central Television and many other media organizations in China.

Nakasone called for clearly stipulating the existence of defense forces in the Japanese Constitution, but he stressed that Japanese politicians must face up to history, said the Global Times, affiliated with the People's Daily, a Communist Party of China newspaper.

In South Korea, the Yonhap news agency described Nakasone as a living witness to the history of modern Japanese politics who had an exceptional connection with South Korea.

Nakasone is believed to have supported the South Korean side during negotiations to normalize the country's diplomatic ties with Japan in the 1960s.

In January 1983, he became the first postwar Japanese prime minister to visit the Asian neighbor.

He also promised then South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan economic cooperation. The following year, Chun became the first South Korea leader to visit Japan.

Regarding Nakasone's comments on the two countries' history at the time, Yonhap said he was effectively the first Japanese leader to express an apology.

Meanwhile, Yonhap also said Nakasone's official visit to Yasukuni Shrine gave later prime ministers an excuse to make visits to the Shinto shrine.

Jiji Press