Japan deputy PM rejects resignation calls over Nazi remarks

Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso on Friday rejected calls for his resignation over his controversial remarks suggesting that Japan could learn from Nazi Germany's constitutional reform. "I have no intention to step down" as a Cabinet member or lawmaker, Aso, who doubles as finance minister, told reporters. In a seminar in Tokyo on Monday, Aso said, "The German Weimar constitution changed into the Nazi German constitution without being noticed. Why don't we learn from their technique?" Aso retracted his comments on Thursday after facing harsh criticism from neighboring China, South Korea as well as a Jewish human rights group in the US. "It is regrettable that my remarks were interpreted in a way differing from my intention and caused misunderstanding," he said on Thursday. "It is clear from all my remarks that I have mentioned the Nazi regime's revision of the Weimar constitution as a negative example, in which no sufficient national debate took place," said Aso. Japan and Nazi Germany were allies during World War II. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Friday that Aso's remark was misunderstood, saying, "Minister Aso has already retracted the Nazi comment and the government has no plan to seek his resignation." In response to Aso's speech, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Wednesday that his remarks comments have alarmed Japan's neighbors and the international community about the country's development direction, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. "We demand the Japanese side reflect on its history, fulfil its commitments on historical issues and win the trust of Asian neighbors and the international community through concrete actions," Hong was quoted as saying. Abe has said he wants to revise Japan's pacifist Constitution, written by American occupiers after World War II, to ease tight restrictions on the armed forces. The move would further strain relations with China and South Korea, which suffered under Japanese occupation during World War II. (end) mk.sd KUNA 021054 Aug 13NNNN