Tokyo, July 18: The Japanese Government to-day indicated for the first time its readiness to eventually accept China’s pre-conditions for the establishment of relations between the two countries. An official reply to an Opposition questionnaire said the Government “can understand as basic knowledge the three principles China has presented for normalisation of relations.” The reply was approved at a Cabinet meeting this morning. The three principles are: China is one and the People’s Republic of China is the only legitimate Government of China; Taiwan is an inalienable part of China; and the 1952 Peace Treaty between Japan and Taiwan should be scrapped. The Government’s reply said the Government would work out concrete measures for normalisation of relations on the understanding that the time was ripe for such a move. It went on, “Since the Government can understand the three principles, it will work out concrete measures mutually agreeable.” The most controversial item of the principles — abrogation of the 1952 Peace Treaty — was not touched upon by the previous Government under Mr. Eisaku Sato which issued a policy statement on China in March last. This merely said the Government could understand China’s claim that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The Government to-day said it also had no plan to abrogate the 1965 basic agreement with South Korea under which the two countries normalised relations and that it had no plan at present to recognise North Korea.
