Koizumi visits Yasukuni Shrine without regard for criticism

In complete disregard of public criticism, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro on January 14 made a surprise visit to Yasukuni Shrine, a war shrine in Tokyo, his third after August 13, 2001 and April 21, 2002.

Obviously, the act has drawn criticism and strong protest because it is unconstitutional. In particular, China and South Korea expressed harsh criticism to the Japanese government.

At Yasukuni, the prime minister officially signed, "Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro" in the registers' book.

His first visit to the war-dead shrine in August 2001 to mark the Pacific War's end on August 15 came under fire in Japan and abroad. Last year, he visited the shrine on the shrine's annual spring festival day in April, instead of on August 15.

Faced with criticism of his Yasukuni Shrine visit from other Asian countries, the prime minister had to cancel his planned visit to China marking the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic relations.

His latest Yasukuni Shrine visit, just before the ordinary Diet session was to be convened on January 20, was made to avoid public criticism expected to increase in the simultaneous local elections in April, said Akahata of January 15. (end)