Japan Prime Min. Abe Visits Yasukuni Shrine

Tokyo, Dec. 26 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid his first visit as leader of the country to war-related Yasukuni Shrine on Thursday, immediately drawing strong protest from China and South Korea. Abe is the first sitting prime minister in seven years to visit the controversial Shinto shrine in Tokyo. Junichiro Koizumi, in office between 2001 and 2006, was the last prime minister to visit the shrine. "I paid my respects to and prayed for the souls of all those who sacrificed their lives for Japan," Abe told reporters afterward. "I have renewed my determination not to wage war and to build an age that is free from the suffering and devastation of war." Soon after the visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang expressed Beijing's "strong indignation" over the visit and suggested that China may take countermeasures. South Korean culture minister Yoo Jing Ryong issued a statement criticizing the visit. The shrine is regarded by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism because it honors Class-A war criminals among the war dead. "I have no intention at all to hurt the feelings of Chinese and South Korean people," Abe said, adding that he will continue efforts to gain the understanding of the two neighboring countries. He gave a similar explanation in a statement issued after the visit. "The peace and prosperity we enjoy today is built on the precious sacrifices of numerous people who perished on the field wishing for the happiness of their loving wives and children," Abe said in the statement. Abe left flowers at the shrine using his title of prime minister. He also visited Chinreisha, a remembrance memorial for the souls of all the people, regardless of nationality, who died in war but are not enshrined at Yasukuni. Chinreisha is located within the site of the shrine. The move was in an apparent bid to ease the anger of China and South Korea. But it now appears even more difficult for Japan to mend its ties with the two neighboring countries that have been strained due to territorial and history issues. Abe made the Yasukuni visit despite calls from Japanese government officials for him to refrain from a visit because of concerns over a further deterioration in Japan's bilateral relationships with the two countries, informed sources said. But he apparently decided to visit the shrine on Friday, which marked the one-year anniversary of the launch of his second administration, as there has been no prospect of him holding a bilateral summit with Chinese and South Korean leaders, the sources said. At a press conference Thursday morning, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said visits to Yasukuni should not become political or diplomatic issues. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said that it is natural to pay respects to those who died for the country. Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Yoshitaka Shindo said he plans to visit the shrine next month. Abe has repeatedly said it was very regrettable that he was unable to visit the shrine during his first tenure as prime minister between September 2006 and September 2007. Since the launch of his current government on Dec. 26 last year, he had refrained from visiting the shrine during its spring festival in April and autumn festival in October, and on the Aug. 15 anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender. Instead, he made monetary or ritual offerings to Yasukuni on these occasions. END