Japanese PM Pays Homage to Yasukuni Shrine

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, April 21, 2002

Japanese PM Pays Homage to Yasukuni Shrine

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made a surprise visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Sunday morning, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

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Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made a surprise visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Sunday morning, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

The Japanese prime minister entered the Shinto shrine at 9:39 a. m.(local time), which honors 14 Class-A war criminals along with the 2.47 million Japanese war dead since the mid-19th century.

Koizumi's visit is likely to anger Japan's Asian neighbors, which have been victims of Japan's brutal aggression during World War II.

Koizumi later told reporters he will not visit the shrine again this August, Kyodo said.

Koizumi also noted that he would not attend Yasukuni Shrine's three-day spring peace festival, which is to begin Sunday afternoon.

Koizumi last visited the shrine on August 13 last year, two days before the 56th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, drawing strong protests and condemnation from neighboring countries.

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