The remaining 120 Lebanese Shilte prisoners held by Israel in the Atlit detention camp will be released tomorrow, For eign Minister Yitzhak Shamir announced today. He made the announcement in Tokyo where he is on an official visit, the first ever by and an Israel Foreign Minister and Deputy Premier to Japan.
He said Israel’s action was in response, among other things, to approaches by the Japanese government on behalf of the prisoners. All of them had been captured in Lebanon and detained for security violations or suspected violations. They have been released in batches ever since the TWA Flight 847 hostagecrisis in Beirut last June when the key demand of the hostage-takers was the immediate release of all the prisoners.
The release of the last of the detainees was known to be imminent. Shamir was the first Israeli official to say when. The Foreign Minister is reportedly hard at work promoting Israeli technology and agriculture in Japan. He has been meeting with top Japanese officials, including two Deputy Ministers of International Trade and Idustry.
SHAMIR’S VISIT AROUSES GREAT INTEREST
Reports from Tokyo say Shamir’s visit has aroused great and generally positive interest in the mass media there. The Israeli diplomat has made a point of meeting with Japan’s leading editors and broadcasters. He toured Tokyo’s “Expo-85” exhibition yesterday, remarking that it was a pity budgetary considerations prevented Israel from being represented.
He said Israeli agricultural techniques would certainly be of interest to Japanese and other visitors to the fair.
Shamir’s trip, at the invitation of the Japanese government, is seen here as a signal that Japan is interested in warming relations with Israel. They have been cautious and cool until now, largely owing to Japan’s dependence on the Arab oil producing states for its petroleum. Shamir has expressed keen interest in closer relations with Japan in both commerce and political dialogue. He is accompanied on his trip by senior executives of Israel’s largest high-technology firms.
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