Koizumi Returns to Shrine, Government `s `Worry of Honoring Criminals`

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi unexpectedly visited Yasukuni Shrine located in Tokyo on April 21. This is the second visit made by Koizumi after the first in August last year. The visit took place at 8:30 A.M. in one day before the great annual spring celebration of the shrine.

Even Prime Minister Koizumi visited the place as `the Prime Minister leading the Cabinet`, it is not clear whether the visit is an official or a private visit since the honoring contribution of thirty thousand Yen was paid with personal expense, and the Shinto ritual was not followed.

Koizumi suggested that he might not visit the shrine on war Memorial Day, August 15, (the day that the World War II ended), saying in a press conference after the visit, `Visits to Yasukuni Shrine is once a year.`

He answered `the reason why he suddenly visited the shrine`, is to `visit with sincere heart without giving any alarming or insecure emotion in domestic and international arena.` Additionally, he said on the affect of his visit to South Korea or China, `I think they would not feel insecure or alarmed.`

But, the South Korean government expressed `deep regret` on April 21, through a remark made by a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT). The government pointed out, `We are worried about honoring the war criminals who gave indescribable pain and disaster to neighboring countries with colonial dominance and invasion in the past.`

The government is going to discuss the response measures by holding an emergency meeting in the afternoon of April 21 when minister of the MOFAT Choi Sung-Hong returns to Korea after finishing his schedule in the U.S.

Both political parties of the opposition and ruling camps expressed strong regret by issuing comments of the spokespersons.

Spokesperson Lee Nak-Yon of the Millennium Democratic Party said, `We are worried that the revisit of Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese Prime Minister at a time when only a month left before the joint opening of World Cup may affect negatively the general relationship between Korea and Japan.` Spokesperson Nam Kyung-Pil of the Grand National Party said, `The visit disturbs the peace in Northeast Asia, and angers Korean people.`

Dong-Ki Sung ksshim@donga.com · esprit@donga.com