TOKYO – Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday called on Cairo to form a “democratic government” as several hundred thousand Egyptians massed in an eighth day of protest against President Hosni Mubarak.
“It is desirable that Egypt will undergo a transition to a democratic government in a peaceful manner by communicating fully with the people,” Kan told reporters. Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara said he wanted the Mubarak government to listen to the Egyptian people and make “maxiumum efforts to create a democratic and stable government.”
“Stability in Egypt is extremly important for stability in the region and peace in the Middle East,” Maehara told a news conference. Anti-government protests raged in Egypt for the eighth day Tuesday as some 470 Japanese were flying home from Cairo on three government-charted planes.
Japan’s Nissan Motor on Sunday halted its production in Egypt for at least this week due to the deepening turmoil in the country. Although Japan is not a major trading partner or donor to Egypt, it maintains good relations with the African country, according to the Japanese foreign ministry’s website.
Mubarak has visited Japan four times as president and Japan’s then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Egypt in 2007.
