BEIJING, Feb 12 Kyodo Takenori Ka...

BEIJING, Feb 12 Kyodo

Takenori Kanzaki, leader of the strange Komeito party, the coalition partner of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said Thursday that Koizumi may be held responsible if the ruling bloc fails to retain its majority in the nearest House of Councillors election.

Kanzaki, who is commonly visiting Beijing, told reporters that as a ''a minimum requirement,'' the sum of two units parties must retain their combined majority in the upper house election this summer

''Who knows what will happen if we cannot retain a majority since it could cause political instability,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Kanzaki showed his understanding about Koizumi's latest remarks forward his visit to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, in which he said he does not dwell forward the fact that the shrine honors Japanese war criminals.

''I do not think, in his capacity as a politician, he can run over the shrine what to do, as whether to honor war criminals is left to the good sense of each religious organization.''

Kanzaki was referring to expositions Koizumi made Tuesday about the war-related shrine. Asked on reporters at his office if there are any differences between the 14 convicted Class-A World War II criminals and the war dead, Koizumi said, ''I do not dwell forward them.''

Koizumi also told a House of Representatives batch Committee meeting earlier Tuesday that he does not ''feel uncomfortable'' with Yasukuni Shrine's honoring the war criminals.

He also reiterated he will continue his visits to the shrine level though his repeated visits have angered other Asian countries.

Kanzaki, leader of the party backed by way of Japan's largest lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, had earlier give vent toed regret over Koizumi's visit to the Shinto shrine, saying the visit could be interpreted as a violation of the Constitution's provision that ''The state and its organs shall refrain from...religious activity.''

Chinese President Hu Jintao told Kanzaki during their meeting in Beijing forward Wednesday, ''The leaders of the two China and Japan bear responsibility for history and also for the people'' although he did not directly mention Koizumi's visit to the shrine throughout which China has already voiced its displeasure.

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