yasukuni

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Aso called for emperor's Yasukuni Shrine visits with something in mind

Foreign Minister Aso Taro, during a speech in Nagoya City said, "The war heroes hailed 'banzai' ('long life') for the emperor and died. Therefore, a visit to Yasukuni Shrine by the emperor would be the best."

Pro-Yasukuni Shrine forces are strongly calling for the prime minister's Yasukuni Shrine visits to be followed by the emperor's shrine visits. This is part of their basic strategy to give official recognition to the historical outlook justifying Japan's war of aggression.

The Association to Honor the Spirit of War Dead, which has its office in the precinct of Yasukuni Shrine, made representations in 1999 complained that "the indecision of the past prime ministers has thwarted the emperor's Shrine visits from taking place." Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's Yasukuni Shrine visits started in response to this in the attempt to pave the way to the emperor's visits.

This association is demanding that the emperor, all the cabinet ministers including the prime minister, and the chiefs of the three branches of government visit Yasukuni Shrine in order to make Yasukuni visits a national event attended by all the representatives of state bodies. This has another aim of officially approving the historical view that Japan fought a just war.

Aso tried to sidetrack China's criticism of Koizumi's Yasukuni visits by inappropriately comparing it to the useless effort to forcing a smoker to quit smoking. He is appealing to emotional nationalism in the people.

Aso once chaired a Diet members forum liaised with a rightist group advocating constitutional revision. The prime minister is responsible for appointing Aso to the position responsible for Japan's diplomacy, knowing that he mixes up his official duties with his personal rightist beliefs and that he is repeating remarks undermining the national interest.
- Akahata, January 31, 2006