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Japanese LDP's Leader Says Koizumi Certain to Visit Yasukuni Shrine
Taku Yamasaki, secretary general of the Japanese governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said Sunday that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will definitely pay a visit to Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals are honored, despite strong opposition from neighboring Asian countries.
''I believe the visit to Yasukuni will certainly be made and I think it should be done,'' Yamasaki said during a Fuji Television talk show.
Yamasaki added, however, ''I believe (Koizumi) should make maximum efforts not to undermine relations with neighboring countries,'' and did not rule out the possibility that Koizumi might visit the shrine on a day other than Aug. 15, the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, as the premier has repeatedly said he would.
''As for how it can be done, we will give consideration to other countries. I believe (Koizumi) will pay a visit in such a manner that it would not violate the Constitution,'' which requires a separation of religion and state.
If the premier does choose to visit the Tokyo Shinto shrine on Aug. 15, Yamasaki indicated that Koizumi could issue a statement in line with one issued by then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in 1995.
''So far (the government) has indicated its view on history by way of a comment by Mr. Murayama. I think there could also be a Koizumi comment,'' Yamasaki said.
On Aug. 15, 1995, Murayama officially apologized for Japan's past acts of aggression and colonialism against its Asian neighbors, just 50 years after Japan surrendered in World War II.
During the same television program, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba, secretary general of the New Komeito party, the LDP's coalition ally, said, ''A visit (to Yasukuni) by a prime minister would make us think that the premier is supporting a certain religious entity, and the nation would consequently see (Yasukuni) as a special entity.
Yasukuni Shrine honors about 2.5 million Japanese who have died in wars since the mid-19th century, among them seven Class A war criminals tried and hanged after World War II, including Hideki Tojo, a wartime prime minister.
Koizumi would be the first Japanese premier in 16 years to visit the shrine on the Aug. 15 anniversary since then Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone visited the shrine in 1986.
That visit generated massive protests from Asia, in part because he called the visit ''official.''
Prime ministers since Nakasone have refrained from visiting the shrine Aug. 15, though then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visited the shrine on his birthday in July 1996.
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