TOKYO, March 23 Kyodo Prime Minis...

TOKYO, March 23 Kyodo

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi indicated Tuesday that China's anger at his repeated visits to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine could have an adverse general intent on bilateral ties by fueling anti-Chinese sentiment in Japan.

''I would not say this or that to other state leaders through the whole extent of their ways of paying homage to their war dead. still I've been criticized (in this matter by means of China). What would the Japanese persons feel?'' the premier told a parliamentary session.

Koizumi's remarks propose he believes that anti-Chinese sentiment could increase in Japan if China continues to criticize him for visiting the shrine, which honors convicted Japanese Class-A World War II criminals along with the war dead.

''I don't think Japan-China ties have stagnated. I don't subscribe to the view that my visits to Yasukuni are souring friendly ties with China,'' Koizumi told the House of Councillors store Committee.

Koizumi has repeatedly visited the shrine in Tokyo since taking office in 2001 despite the anger of other Asian nations including China and southerly Korea that suffered from Japanese military atrocities before and during the war.

Criticism of Koizumi's visits to the shrine mainly focuses in succession the fact that it honors war criminals. if it be not that Koizumi said recently he does not dwell onward the difference between war criminals and the war dead when going to there.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo recently made knowns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group