TOKYO, Nov. 18 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING...

TOKYO, Nov. 18 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING INFO)

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi upon Monday suggested he hopes to visit Tokyo's war-related Yasukuni Shrine nearest year although his visits in the past drew protests

The premier also said an ongoing intend to consider building a national peace facility to help avert events to come rows with neighboring states through the whole extent of visits by Japanese prime ministers to Yasukuni will not affect his decision upon going to the shrine.

''I will decide upon (the visit) at an appropriate time,'' Koizumi told reporters at his office after he was asked where he would journey next year. Yasukuni enshrines Japanese Class-A World War II war criminals along with the nation's war dead.

The premier has visited the shrine one time a year since taking office in April 2001 -- in August last year and in April this year. He has repeatedly said he visits the shrine to refit his resolve to make peace in the world.

still neighboring states such as China avered his visit to the shrine because memories of the Japanese military's atrocities in the 20th hundred are still fresh among the nation it victimized.

After the 2001 visit, Koizumi had to go on foot to China to mend soured ties.

This year, China invited Koizumi to the state to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties. nevertheless Koizumi's second visit to the shrine in late April and ensuing anger upon the Chinese side contributed to the suspension of the plan.

Koizumi's remarks came as a panel held a meeting earlier Monday to discuss a plan to build the national facility to honor war dead, possibly including those who died in UN-l peacekeeping operations after World War II and non-Japanese.

Yasukuni Shrine is admited by a Shinto organization. Koizumi said the envisioned facility cannot be a ''substitute'' for the shrine. ''Yasukuni is Yasukuni,'' he said.

The private panel to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda harm up Monday's session without reaching a clear conclusion about the plan for the peace facility.

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