
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, January 9, 1995                   TAG: 9501100033
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: TOKYO                                  LENGTH: Short

JAPAN: NO INVITATION, PLEASE

Japan doesn't want to be invited to U.S. events marking the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, a national newspaper said Sunday.

Because of the Japanese people's feelings as the defeated nation, Japan is asking to be left off the invitation list, the Asahi Shimbun said.

It said Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama would mention the request when he meets President Clinton in Washington this week.

Japan decided to make the request after learning that the United States planned to invite leaders of Japan and other countries defeated in World War II, together with the nations of the former Allied forces and Asian and Pacific nations that suffered in the war, the newspaper said.

The events are planned Sept. 2 in Hawaii, it added. Although Japan unconditionally accepted the Allies' terms of surrender on Aug. 14, 1945, the official signing ceremony was held Sept. 2 aboard the U.S. battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

The war remains a sensitive subject in Japan.

by CNB