A Hong Kong political party yesterday urged the central government to take a tough stance with the Japanese Government on the sovereignty issue of the Diaoyu Islands.

While making the call, the Democratic Alliance for Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) also said the Japanese Government was the forger of the strained relationship between China and Japan.

"The cause of the difficult relationship between the two countries lies with the Japanese Government," DAB legislator Tsang Yok-sing said during a street signature campaign.

"For many years, Tokyo has been allowing rightist groups to conceal their war crimes by twisting facts in history books," he said. "It has for a long time been pampering the rightist activities and recently, it has even been assisting their activities. This is a very dangerous sign."

The party collected signatures yesterday in a protest against the Japanese occupation of the Diaoyu Islands and the twisting of historic facts.

Later on, it will also organize signature campaigns in other districts and will present the signatures to the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong.

On Sunday, the Action Committee for Defending the Diaoyu Islands will organize a procession to protest against the Japanese, with hundreds expected to take part. The demonstration is held in conjunction with the Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, which will appeal to its members, parents and students to join in the march.

Tsang said the DAB would adopt an open mind as to joint rallies with other organizations in spite of different political viewpoints because he believed their stances on the matter were basically the same.

He called on local people to be calm and abide by the law in the course of their rallies.

(China Daily HK Edition April 15, 2005)