JCP Shii criticizes Abe for making an offering to Yasukuni Shrine

   Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo in a TV interview aired on May 8 severely criticized Prime Minister Abe Shinzo for making an offering to Yasukuni Shrine, saying, “The prime minister’s action amounts to a government affirmation of Yasukuni Shrine’s political and ideological position. This is a grave problem and I strongly protest.”

   Shii said the Yasukuni question essentially arises from the fact that the shrine has a mission to glorify Japan’s past war of aggression as “a war for self-defense” and “a holy war to liberate Asia” and to propagate such an ideology.

   “We have repeatedly pointed out that the prime minister’s visit to the shrine amounts to giving the government approval to Yasukuni’s position. Making an offering to Yasukuni has the same implication,” Shii stressed.

   Shii pointed out that Abe’s action reneges on his own pledge made at his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao in 2006 as well as his statement in the Diet that he will stand by the Murayama Statement and the Kono Statement.

   “Although former Prime Minister Koizumi Jun’ichiro took actions as a Yasukuni advocate as was seen in his visits to the shrine for five consecutive years, Koizumi did not openly advocate Yasukuni’s view of history,” Shii said, adding that in fact Koizumi in the Diet said his position is different from that of Yasukuni Shrine.

   “In contrast, Prime Minister Abe indeed shares the Yasukuni’s view in his heart. In reply to my question in the Diet in October 2006, he studiously avoided stating that his view of history is different from that of Yasukuni Shrine. While he is employing a tactic to deliberately make his position ambiguous by refusing to speak about his intention concerning his visit to the shrine, his real intention is revealed by this offering,” Shii said.                 - Akahata, May 9, 2007