yasukuni

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Koizumi's Yasukuni Shrine visits exacerbate Japan's diplomatic stalemate
Akahata editorial

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's visits to Yasukuni Shrine on October 17 are making Japan's diplomacy more difficult than ever.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated, "China is not in a position to receive" Japanese Foreign Minister Machimura Nobutaka, scrapping his visit scheduled for late this month. The South Korean foreign affairs and trade minister said his visit to Japan late this month is not appropriate. Thus, summit meetings with China and South Korea have become hopeless, causing concerns that Six-Party Talks may also be affected.

Arrogance

Asked by reporters if he was refusing to accept responsibility for the worsening relations with China and South Korea, Koizumi said, "No one has the right to intrude into the question of other people's sentiments, much less foreign governments."

Prime Minister Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine have been made a serious diplomatic issue in his talks with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

No one can deny that visits to Yasukuni Shrine by the Japanese government leader mean endorsing Yasukuni Shrine's view justifying Japan's war of aggression and colonization.

China and South Korea are countries that were forced to pay enormous human costs during Japan's war of aggression and colonization. The Japanese Imperial Army in Korea and China left deep scars on their land and in the people's memory.

The prime minister's comment is tantamount to saying, "Shut up!" to his critics in disregard of the sentiments of these victim countries' governments and peoples, while supporting the argument justifying the war of aggression. How arrogant he is!

Prime Minister Koizumi says he visits Yasukuni Shrine to express his determination never to go to war again. If that really is the case, visiting Yasukuni Shrine, which will undoubtedly worsen diplomatic relations, is the last thing he should do. Peace is possible only by seeking the settlement of international disputes through reasoned talks.

In his statement marking the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII on August 15, Prime Minister Koizumi expressed his remorse and apology for causing tremendous damage and suffering to the peoples of Asia during Japan's colonial rule and war of aggression. Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, however, contradict his words and only undermine international trust in Japan.

After the war, Japan promised not to repeat the mistake of the past war of aggression in order to become a country that follows a path based on the constitutional principles of peace. Only by living up to this principle can Japan contribute to peaceful resolutions of international disputes, develop good-neighborly friendship and coexistence with Asian countries, and help build regional relations of peace and stability.

Criticism from U.S. and Europeans

Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine is under international criticism. It is a question affecting the world.

Asked to comment on Chinese and South Korean criticism, a U.S. Department of State spokesman said, "It's well known, the history. We understand the basis for these concerns," and expressed hope that "they could work through respectful dialogue." A New York Times editorial said that the prime minister "has made a point of publicly embracing the worst traditions of Japanese militarism." It directs its wary eyes to Japan by saying, "No one realistically worries about today's Japan re-embarking on the road of imperial conquest. But Japan, Asia's richest, most economically powerful and technologically advanced nation, is shedding some of the military and foreign policy restraints it has observed for the past 60 years."

European news media reported that Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine provoked angry reactions as expected and that it may hinder reconciliation and cooperation between Asian countries (The Financial Times).

The hard fact is that Prime Minister's visits to Yasukuni Shrine are a serious diplomatic mistake that will only isolate Japan from Asia and the rest of the world. -- Akahata, October 20, 2005