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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 15, 2003

Reducing a Major Issue into a Minor one Is Intolerable

Japanese Prime Minister Jumichiro Koizumi, on the afternoon of January 14, suddenly visited Yasukuni Shrine where the tablets of World War II class-A war criminals are kept. This is Koizumi's third visit to the shrine since he took office.


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Protesting against Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine
Japanese Prime Minister Jumichiro Koizumi, on the afternoon of January 14, suddenly visited Yasukuni Shrine where the tablets of World War II class-A war criminals are kept. This is Koizumi's third visit to the shrine since he took office. His previous two visits had been strongly condemned by Japan's domestic far-sighted personages and the people of neighboring Asian countries. Before departure, he most probably knew his visit this time would also arouse same reaction, nevertheless, he insisted on acting willfully. The people of the most victimized countries of that aggressive war, without exception, expressed vehement indignation against this act of committing the error deliberately.

Koizumi thought he would reduce the major matter into a minor one by playing "a little trick" of changing the time for paying homage to the shrine, this is utterly miscalculation. In explaining reasons for this move to the mass media, he said because it is in the new year, I went there with a fresh sentiment to re-appreciate the value of peace and thus war must not be launched again.

The Yasukuni Shrine is the symbol of Japan's aggression and expansion abroad in modern history, Hideki Tojo and other class-A war criminals in World War II were enshrined and worshipped as "those who died for the country" there. As Prime Minister of Japan, Koizumi prostrated himself in worship of war criminals and put visit to the shrine on a par with pray for peace, this is an absurd logic, is spreading salt on the psychic trauma of the people of the war victimized countries and is contempt for and provocation of the feeling of the people of war victimized countries.

As for Japanese civilians who go to worship their dead relatives at the shrine, people of the world never blame them. The world people sniff at the Japanese right-wingers who call for the souls of the militarists at the shrine. The visit to the Yasukuni Shrine by the Prime Minister who is representative of the Japan state political will is encouraging and pandering to the right-wing trend of thought and abandonment of his promise of strengthening international coordination and paying attention to developing relations with neighboring countries. Koizumi's third visit to the shrine has further tarnished Japan's own international image and caused the people of war victimized countries to lose faith in Japan on the issue of history.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the conclusion of the Sino-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The Chinese people have consistently attached importance to developing Sino-Japanese friendly relations. Sino-Japanese relationship of today has not been won easily, it embodies the painstaking efforts of the two peoples who have been fighting for this relationship for several generations. The Japanese Prime Minister's repeatedly visits to the shrine have seriously damaged the political foundation of the relations between the two countries and will inevitably generate negative effect on Sino-Japanese ties. According to Koizumi's logic, paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine is a question concerning "personal feeling". We can't help asking Koizumi: of personal feeling and international relationship, which is more important? We ernestly advise Koizumi: In an attitude of being responsible for the whole interests of the relations between the two countries, you should abide by the various principles set down in the Sino-Japanese Joint Statement, the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship and the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration and should not create disturbances on the question relating to the feeling of the Chinese people.

At present, the Japanese society is in an important period of change. As the world's second largest economic power, Japan hoping to play a greater role in international affairs is originally blameless. However, if the historical issue cannot be thoroughly settled, and "little trick" is frequently played on historical issues and promise made to Asian countries and people on historical issues are broken, in this circumstance, people cannot but express their doubts and worries about Japan's hope to play a big-power role in the world. Only when Japan earnestly introspects its history of aggression and take the road to peace and development, can it win the confidence of Asian countries and people and have greater work to do and accomplish in the international community.

By People's Daily Online


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