Japan Press Weekly

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2014 February 19 - 25 [HISTORY]

PM assistant: disappointed in US about its Yasukuni criticism

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a press conference on February 20 pointed out that the comment of an assistant to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who said he was “disappointed” in the U.S. criticism against Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, is just representing the true mindset of Abe.

Eto Seiichi, one of the assistants to the prime minister, commented on YouTube about the U.S. administration having expressed its “disappointment” at the Japanese prime minister’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine late last year. The assistant said, “We are more disappointed. Why does the U.S. criticize Japan, though its ally?”

After facing controversy, Eto deleted the video footage from the YouTube site. However, he later said to the press corps, “I can’t understand what the problem was.”

Regarding the issue, Shii said, “The most serious problem is that the prime minister himself is taking a so-what attitude toward Yasukuni visits.”

By making visits to the shrine in question, “He is demonstrating to the world that he agrees with the Yasukuni idea that the Pacific War was ‘for Japan’s survival and self-defense’ and ‘for Asian liberation’,” said Shii adding that Abe should immediately stop his official visits.