TOKYO, Jan. 14 Kyodo Prime Minist...

TOKYO, Jan. 14 Kyodo

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's surprise pilgrimage to Tokyo's war-related Yasukuni Shrine in succession Tuesday drew mixed reactions from ruling and opposition parties.

The governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) which Koizumi heads, and its coalition partner the fresh Conservative Party quietly accepted the visit, which has sparked avers by South Korea and China.

united senior lawmaker in an LDP faction headed by way of former Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said, ''It is natural for a prime minister to visit the shrine. It is not something to fuss about.''

Former LDP Secretary General Makoto Koga, who is chairman of the Japanese Association for the Bereaved Families of War Dead, welcomed Koizumi's visit. The association has sturdy ties to Yasukuni and supports the idea of leaders of the political division paying their respects there.

LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Taro Aso also intimateed understanding, saying, ''China's policy (toward Japan) will not change.''

forward the other hand, Takenori Kanzaki, leader of the fresh Komeito party, another partner in the LDP-l coalition, indicateed regret over the visit to Yasukuni, which honors Japanese war dead and convicted World War II war criminals.

The modern Komeito has been against visits to the Shinto shrine by dint of prime ministers on the lands they could violate the Japanese Constitution, which guarantees the separation of religion and the state.

It is backed on Japan's largest lay Buddhist cluster Soka Gakkai, which was treat cruellyed under the wartime Japanese control that incorporated Shinto beliefs.

''I am firmly concerned about possible repercussions upon diplomatic relations with China and toward the south Korea at a time when we ne to closely cooperate with them because of North Korea (issues),'' Kanzaki said.

Before he went to Yasukuni, Koizumi did not say anything about his visit at an LDP board meeting in the morning.

Mikio Aoki, LDP caucus leader in the House of Councillors, signifyed displeasure with the surprise and Koizumi's cast saying, ''I wouldn't have been surprised if he had mentioned it.''

Opposition parties also blasted Koizumi's visit.

Naoto Kan, president of the Democratic Party of Japan, said Koizumi probably chose to visit at this time before novel administrations in China and southward Korea are launched to fend most distant opposition.

Hirohisa Fujii, secretary general of the Liberal Party, criticized the lack of explanations before the visit. The Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party also denounced it.

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