Koizumi `Shrine Worship Secret Agreement`

Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro agreed to attend the organization for survivors of the war dead’s worship at Yasukuni Shrine, reported Japan’s Mainichi newspaper on August 9. The paper reports that during his campaign run for the president seat of the Liberal Democratic Party, Koizumi placed a call to president of the organization, Nakai Sumiko, and vice-president, Morita Suguo, saying ``I will definitely attend the Yasukuni worship if I become the Prime Minister.`` The Japanese Survivor Organization represents 1, 040, 000 survivors of war dead and 110, 000 of those members vote for the LDP.

The newspaper also reported that Koizumi’s father Koizumi Junia was former Director of Defense and built the airfield in his district Kagushima ~ homeground for the `Suicide Special Forces`. The newspaper analyzed that the Prime Minister wanted to attend the worship because the mortuary plaque of his relative, who was a member of the Suicide Special Forces, was at the Yasukuni Shrine.

Reports say that a coalition of chief secretaries of the three parties met on the 10th and persuaded Koizumi to reconsider his plans to attend to worship or at least avoid the August 15 date. The Korean Democratic Party and the four opposition parties communicated their unified opposition against his attendance.

In contrast to the leaders’ of Korea’s ruling and opposition parties, 10 or so members across party lines organized `a nonpartisan gathering to help actualize Prime Minister’s attendance at the Yasukuni Shrine`.

Shim Kyu-Sun ksshim@donga.com