TAIPEI -- Former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui strongly urged Tokyo on Sunday to issue him a visa for a medical checkup in Japan, saying his heart condition is worsening.
Lee explained his heart problems in a press conference and said he needs to enter Japan urgently for treatment. He also warned Tokyo that barring him from seeking medical treatment would be detrimental to Japan-Taiwan relations.
Lee dismissed allegations that his heart condition was not a genuine reason to visit Japan, in the wake of strong resistance from the Japanese Foreign Ministry and some cabinet members. "To say I have political objectives, doesn't make sense. I have already retired as president and am an ordinary citizen now," the 78-year-old former president said.