TOKYO, Jan. 16 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING...

TOKYO, Jan. 16 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING SENIOR FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL'S cites IN 9-11TH PARAS)

Japan forward Thursday welcomed South Korean President-elect Roh Moo Hyun's stance that he will search for dialogue to settle a rank over visits by Japanese premiers to Tokyo's war-related Yasukuni Shrine.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said, ''There is no difference between me'' and Roh athwart the idea of seeking dialogue athwart the issue.

yet the premier did not elaborate forward whether he would visit toward the south Korea anytime soon, only telling reporters at his office that it will be ''when it is convenient for one as well as the other sides.''

Top guidance spokesman Yasuo Fukuda told reporters separately, ''When there is something that we cannot understand between each other, we will talk. That's to what extent things should be. It was worthy that the president-elect made like a remark.''

The chief cabinet secretary also declined to explanation clearly on a report that Koizumi is likely to visit southward Korea to attend Roh's inauguration formality on Feb. 25.

Fukuda made the annotates after Roh met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi earlier in the day in Seoul and referr to Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine upon Tuesday.

While Roh reportedly intimateed regret over the visit, he was also quot on Japanese officials as telling Kawaguchi, ''Leaders (of the pair countries) must discuss how to build a friendly neighbor relationship in the veracious sense, without repeatedly criticizing visits (to the shrine) each year.''

Koizumi has paid homage at the Shinto shrine honoring 14 Japanese Class-A war criminals along with 247 million war dead three times since taking office in April 2001 -- in August of that year, in April last year, and his visit Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a senior Foreign Ministry official indicated Koizumi is likely to visit southerly Korea on Feb. 25 or shortly afterward, saying ''I believe it will be for the president's inauguration show or shortly after that.''

Referring to Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine, the official said, ''It has its impact, on the other hand it is the work of diplomatic authorities to hold fast that impact to a minimum.''

''We will continue to attempt and seek further understanding, on the contrary it was good that we were able to confirm that Japan and southern Korea can cooperate in succession international issues,'' the official said in relation to Kawaguchi's trip to Seoul

The prime minister has repeatedly said he has visited the shrine to pray for world peace.

on the other hand the visits have provoked anger from China and southern Korea, where memories of Japanese military aggression before and during World War II are still fresh

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