Japan, New Zealand to Attend July 1 Rite

Japan and New Zealand joined Australia in breaking with the U.S. and Britain by rejecting a boycott of the swearing-in of Hong Kong’s Beijing-appointed legislature during July 1 hand-over ceremonies. “I know there is an issue over whether we should go to this or not. But I think we must go,” Japanese Premier Ryutaro Hashimoto said in Tokyo. New Zealand Foreign Minister Don McKinnon said his nation had already made known its opposition to Beijing’s decision to dissolve Hong Kong’s elected legislature and saw no point in a boycott. Australia said Thursday that it will attend the investiture.