Japan should open telecom market: Finnish president+.

HELSINKI, May 10 Kyodo

Finnish President Tarja Halonen on Wednesday said the Japanese telecommunications market should open to foreign competition and voiced hopes for increased cooperation between Finland and Japan.

In an interview with Kyodo News, Halonen said that the May 26 visit by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to the country will be a good chance for Japanese to realize that Finns respect and admire Japanese culture very much.

Halonen said the relationship between the two countries is "excellent" as diplomatic ties have existed for about 80 years. The two share common political ideas such as valuing the work of the United Nations and supporting U.N. reform.

Halonen also emphasized that deregulation and the opening of markets would benefit Japan's economy, referring to Finland's success in the high-tech market.

He said Finland was especially successful in the mobile phone market after being the first country to open its telecommunications market in Europe.

"Competition is not dangerous," he said.

The Japanese royal couple will leave May 20 for official visits to the Netherlands and Sweden. After a stopover in Switzerland, they will arrive in Amsterdam on May 23 and move on to Finland on May 26 for a private visit before arriving in Sweden on May 28 for an official visit, government officials have said.