|
Taiwan's former President Lee Teng-hui, left, and current President Chen Shui-bian.
|
|
Lee spoke at an event marking the release of the Chinese-language version of his book, "Bushido Kaidai," a commentary on the samurai spirit.
"The old Japanese values of the samurai have long since disappeared and the Japanese have become weak. Whatever China opposes, Japan dare not say something different," Lee said, according to a report in the Taipei Times.
"When China opposes Taiwan's referendum plan, Japan reacts in a fearful way and even allowed a low-ranking official of the Interchange Association [Japan's representative office in Taiwan] to secretly deliver the Japanese government's concerns."
Lee said that senior Japanese leaders "may not act in an obvious way to make concessions to China, but lower-level government officials will then do something to appease China."
Japan's representative in Taiwan, Katsushisa Uchida, last month protested Taiwan's plans to hold a referendum.
Lee said Japan should return to the traditional values of the samurai. At the book release meeting, he also urged the people of Taiwan to find their own cultural spirit with "Taiwan-centric" beliefs and to further efforts to build a Taiwanese identity.
Lee originally published the book in 2002. He was born during the era when Japan ruled Taiwan.
