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Koizumi's Visit to Yasukuni Shrine Outrages Asian Countries
Asian countries reacted with outrage to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit Monday to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine where convicted war criminals are honored along with the nation's 2.47 million war dead.
In Seoul, the South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said in a statement, ''We have no choice but to express concern about the Japanese prime minister's paying homage to those war criminals who had destroyed world peace and inflicted indescribable damage on neighboring countries.''
''The South Korean government reemphasizes Prime Minister Koizumi should respect other countries and their peoples' sentiments based on a correct recognition of history if he wants to build a genuine neighborly and friendly relationship with other countries,'' the statement said.
The ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) blasted Koizumi's shrine visit as ''throwing a dagger into Asian countries, including (South) Korea.''
''We will not spare any effort in condemning and blocking the ghost of Japan's resurgent imperialism,'' an MDP spokesman said.
The opposition Grand National Party also criticized Koizumi, describing the visit as ''stupid behavior that has gained just some support in Japan at the expense of losing worldwide support.''
Separately, a group of South Korean martial artists cut off their fingers to show their anger against Koizumi's visit to the shrine, according to Yonhap Television News (YTN), a cable TV network.
A member of the group told the YTN the visit shows Japan's ''arrogant behavior,'' ignoring Asian countries that suffered Japanese wartime aggression.
A representative of the (South) Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, a group of former ''comfort women,'' was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying, ''the Japanese enshrined at Yasukuni are the very ones who raped our grandmothers. It is unforgivable for the Japanese prime minister to worship them as gods and pay homage to them.''
In Manila, women belonging to Lila Pilipina and Lolas Kampanyera -- groups seeking justice for women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military -- lambasted the Japanese government ''for shirking its responsibility'' to address the issue of the Asian comfort women.
Sol Rapisura, spokesman for Lila Pilipina, said Koizumi's visit ''honors Japanese soldiers who raped women in the Philippines. As an organization of comfort women, we condemn the visit because until now, (the Japanese government) has not answered the issue.''
Nelia Sancho, spokesman for Lolas Kampanyera, said the visit ''will strengthen the position of the Japanese government to continue to deny its responsibility to the war victims.''
In Kuala Lumpur, Chinese Malaysians called Koizumi's visit ''seeking a pact with murderers.''
''We are very angry. He should consider fellow Asians' feelings but he does not care...We cannot understand this. He is shaking one hand with the angel and the other with the devil. He talked about peace and yet he paid respect to murderers,'' Loke Thu Sang said.
Loke is a member of a committee that annually commemorates atrocities committed by Japan during its occupation of Malaysia.
In Beijing, China voiced strong opposition to Koizumi's Visit.
''The Chinese government and people lodge their fierce anger and dissatisfaction'' with Koizumi's decision, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said in a statement. ''The Japanese leader's flawed gesture has damaged the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations and injured the feelings of the people of China and of countries across Asia who suffered'' under the Japanese.
In Hong Kong, activists denounced Koizumi.
''Shame on Koizumi!'' a group from political party Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong chanted.
''Japan always says it is remorseful and sorry about its wartime aggression. Koizumi's visit just shows how hypocritical Japan is and that Japan says one thing and means another,'' said Yeung Yiu-chung, a Hong Kong lawmaker and a deputy to China's parliament.
In Sydney, Australia's largest war veterans' association said visit to the shrine was disappointing.
Australian veterans were upset by Koizumi's visit, where 14 Class A war criminals are honored.
More than 22,000 Australians were taken prisoner by Japan during the war and about one-third of them died in captivity.
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