New leader Koizumi courts controversy

Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine is a memorial to 2.5 million of Japan's war dead - including its war criminals

By staff and wire reports

TOKYO, Japan -- Often referred to as unpredictable, unusual and quixotic, Junichiro Koizumi has already shown a willingness to take on controversial issues that focus on Japan's militaristic past.

The 59-year-old, mop-topped leader has said this week that the war-renouncing Article 9 of Japan's Constitution "should be revised in the future."

The Constitution's Article 9 -- a legacy of Japan's aggression in World War Two -- renounces war and promises that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained."

Nevertheless, Japan has one of the largest military forces in Asia, amounting to 150,000 troops, and spends about 4.9 trillion yen ($US45 billion) annually on defense.

"An article whereby the existence of the nation's Self-Defense Forces can be interpreted as running counter to the Constitution is absurd," he said.

War shrine visit

In a move that is expected to rile neighboring South Korea and China, Koizumi also stated that he plans to pay a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a memorial of Japan's militaristic past.

The Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine established in 1869 for people to worship "the divine spirits of those who sacrificed themselves for their country". It now pays respects to some 2.5 million of Japan's war dead -- including those convicted for war crimes.

The decision to embrace even the Class-A war criminals finally came in 1978. Since then Japanese government officials' visits to the Shrine have occasionally aroused protests in China and other Asian counties.

On hearing the news, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue urged Koizumi not to visit the shrine.

"It is China's persistent stance to oppose visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese political figures," said Zhang.

"A responsible statesman should take concrete actions to show his sincerity and attitude toward Japan's history of aggression against some Asian countries, including China."

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.

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