Morihiro Hosokawa

After graduating from the law department of Sophia University in 1963, he worked for the Asahi Shimbun, Japan's largest newspaper, as a reporter for the Ministry of Social Affairs. In June 1993, the defection of the Liberal Democratic Party's Ichiro Ozawa, Haruta and others led to the collapse of the Miyazawa Kiichi government. After the re-election, Hosokawa formed a non-liberal and non-communist joint regime. Hosokawa was the first non-Liberal Democratic prime minister of Japan since 1955. After coming to power, he admitted war crimes committed during the Japanese imperial era in unequivocal language. Hosokawa and another non-Liberal Democratic prime minister, Tomiichi Murayama, apologized to the victim countries for the history of Japanese aggression (this apology was for the Murayama statement), which improved the image of Japanese politics.

Hosokawa was Japan's first non-Liberal Democratic Party prime minister after World War II. Because of the Liberal Democratic Party's conservative background and many World War II war criminals who were top leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Prime Minister of the Liberal Democratic Party has never reflected on or apologized for the history of aggression during World War II. Prime Minister Hosokawa did not have such political party background baggage. After taking office, he admitted in unambiguous terms the war crimes committed during the Japanese Empire era.

Hosokawa and another non-LDP prime minister, Tomiichi Murayama, apologized to the victim countries for Japan's history of aggression, undermining the rigid stance of previous Japanese governments that never apologized and improving the image of Japanese politics (the LDP never apologized, but the two non-LDP prime ministers in the coalition government did).

Hu Jintao welcomed Hosokawa's visit to China again and praised Hosokawa for his unswerving dedication to the cause of China-Japan friendship over the years. He said that the friendly exchanges between the people of China and Japan have a long history and fine traditions. In the new century, continuing to strengthen the friendly exchanges between the people of the two countries and developing multi-level exchanges and cooperation will play a very important role in promoting the healthy development of bilateral relations. Hu Jintao pointed out that correctly understanding and treating historical issues and the Taiwan issue, and abiding by the principles and spirit established in the Sino-Japan Joint Statement, the Sino-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship and the Sino-Japan Joint Declaration have always been the political foundation for the smooth development of bilateral relations. Looking forward to Sino-Japanese relations in the new century, we must look high, grasp the overall situation, remove interference, overcome obstacles, and make unremitting efforts to jointly advance the cause of Sino-Japanese friendship that benefits the two peoples.

Hosokawa thanked Vice President Hu Jintao for the meeting and said that he himself will continue to make his own efforts to develop Japan-China relations. He said that Japan-China relations are one of Japan's important bilateral relations, but it is regrettable that from time to time there are some problems that affect the normal development of Japan-China relations. I believe that as long as we face history squarely in the spirit of "taking history as a mirror and facing the future" as mentioned by Vice President Hu, we will definitely be able to overcome difficulties and develop long-term and stable Japan-China friendly cooperative relations. Mei Zhaorong, President of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and Japanese Ambassador to China Anan Weimao were present at the meeting.