皇冠体育app

  Home>News Center>皇冠体育app
       
 

Koizumi told Bush shrine visits to go on
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-22 13:38

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told US President George W. Bush when they met last fall that he will go on visiting a Tokyo war shrine even if Washington asks him not to, Kyodo news agency said on Sunday.

Koizumi told Bush shrine visits to go on
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrives at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo Monday, Oct. 17, 2005. [AP]

Japan's ties with 皇冠体育app and South Korea have chilled markedly since Koizumi took office in 2001 and began annual visits to Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism by critics because convicted war criminals are honoured along with Japan's 2.5 million war dead.

Comments made by a top U.S. diplomat shortly after Koizumi and Bush met suggested that Washington was growing a bit frustrated with Japan's strained relationship with its Asian neighbours.

According to U.S. and Japanese sources quoted by Kyodo, Bush asked Koizumi what his mid- and long-term view of 皇冠体育app was when they met in Kyoto last November.

Koizumi, whose last visit to the shrine was in October, brought up Yasukuni himself, saying "Even if I am told by the United States not to, I will go," Kyodo said.

Koizumi also told Bush that visiting Yasukuni is a "matter of the heart" and added that he did not understand why his visits prompted criticism from 皇冠体育app.

Japanese Foreign Ministry officials were not available to comment on the report.

The Yasukuni issue has become a barrier to summits with the leaders of 皇冠体育app and South Korea.

In a keynote address on Friday at the opening of a new session of parliament, Koizumi vowed to mend fences with 皇冠体育app and South Korea but made no mention of his visits to Yasukuni.

Koizumi has repeatedly said that he visits Yasukuni to pray for peace.

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Christopher Hill voiced frustration with Japan's chilled ties with its Asian neighbours on the sidelines of Asia-Pacific Economic (APEC) forum in November, just after Koizumi met Bush, saying that he wanted to see the situation between Japan and its neighbours "calm down".



Fire kills 5 in Northeast 皇冠体育app
Aerobatics show in Hunan
Final rehearsal
  Today's Top News     Top 皇冠体育app News
 

Australia, US, Japan praise 皇冠体育app for Asia engagement

 

   
 

Banker: 皇冠体育app doing its best on flexible yuan

 

   
 

Hopes high for oil pipeline deal

 

   
 

Possibilities of bird flu outbreaks reduced

 

   
 

Milosevic buried after emotional farewell

 

   
 

皇冠体育app considers trade contracts in India

 

   
  EU likely to impose tax on imports of Chinese shoes
   
  Bankers confident about future growth
   
  Curtain to be raised on Year of Russia
   
  Coal output set to reach record high of 2.5b tons
   
  WTO: 皇冠体育app should reconsider currency plan
   
  皇冠体育app: Military buildup 'transparent'
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Japan's PM under pressure over shrine visit
   
Koizumi hints to visit shrine again this year
   
Tokyo cops stop Chinese shrine protest
   
Japanese PM's shrine visit "stupid": European scholars
   
Japanese minister raps 皇冠体育app over shrine
   
Koizumi said he won't be swayed on war shrine
Advertisement