On August 13, 2001 (June 24, 2001 in the lunar calendar), the Asian people expressed strong indignation at Koizumi's insistence on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. Koizumi ignored his opposition to visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. In the afternoon of August 13, 2001, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine where Class A war criminals were sacrificed, ignoring the opposition of Japanese domestic and international public opinion. Before that, he made a statement through Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, which read as follows: Our country will celebrate the 56th Armistice Day on August 15. Standing at the beginning of the 21st century, it is difficult to suppress the solemnity in my heart when I look back on the war of the last century. In that war, Japan brought serious disasters to the people of many countries in the world, including the citizens of our country. Especially to our Asian neighbors, during the past period, colonial rule and aggression based on wrong national policies have imposed incalculable harm and pain on them. It has left many people in the victim countries with wounds that are difficult to heal. Here, I humbly acknowledge the regretful history of our country, and while deeply reflecting on it, I would like to express my deep condolences to all the victims of the war. I believe that our country can never repeat the mistakes of war. Standing before the souls of those who died in battle in difficult times while still believing in the future of their motherland, I once again feel that the peace and prosperity of Japan today is based on their noble sacrifices, prompting me to renew the peace pledge I make every year. I think that if I fully state my beliefs, I will definitely be understood by the people of our country and the neighboring countries. After I became Prime Minister, I also expressed my desire to visit the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15. However, as the Armistice Day approaches, there are growing voices at home and abroad about the right and wrong of my visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. There are not only domestic objections, but also calls abroad to stop visiting the shrine. Under such circumstances, if the result of my visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on the Armistice Day goes against my original intention, causing doubts at home and abroad about Japan's basic ideology of rejecting war and valuing peace, that is by no means what I hope. Therefore, I sincerely accept the demands at home and abroad, and make my personal decision here: to avoid visiting the shrine on the day of the anniversary and to visit on another date. As a Prime Minister of a country, I am deeply ashamed to withdraw what I have already said. However, whether or not I adhere to my long-standing position on the Yasukuni Shrine, I must now work wholeheartedly to fulfill my responsibilities as a Prime Minister and Minister on the basis of the overall interests of the country to solve the various problems facing Japan. If circumstances permit, I will find an opportunity to hold sincere talks with the important leaders of China and South Korea as soon as possible to confer on the future peace and development of the Asia-Pacific region, and to explain to them my above-mentioned beliefs. In addition, the question ahead is how to respect the feelings of the people for the Yasukuni Shrine and the Chidorobuchi War Victims' Tomb while making our mourning for the war dead understandable at home and abroad. I sincerely hope that all citizens can understand my sincere feelings. On August 13, 2001, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi defied the strong opposition of domestic and foreign public opinion and visited the Yasukuni Shrine this afternoon, including the plaques of Class A war criminals of World War II. Since taking office this year, Koizumi has repeatedly expressed his intention to visit the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the anniversary of Japan's defeat. His attitude was strongly opposed by China, South Korea and other Asian countries as well as various people in Japan. Under these circumstances, Koizumi decided to visit the Yasukuni Shrine in advance. On August 15, 1985, then Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone visited the Yasukuni Shrine; on July 29, 1996, then Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto visited the Yasukuni Shrine. Their move was strongly opposed by Japanese public opinion and neighboring countries. On August 13, 2001, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wuhan University Wei urgently met with Yoshiji Nogami, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and made solemn representations regarding Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. Wuhan University Wei pointed out that Prime Minister Koizumi's insistence on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class A war criminals, has damaged the political foundation of Sino-Japanese relations, hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and the people of the vast number of victimized countries in Asia, and will inevitably affect the healthy development of Sino-Japanese relations. The Chinese government and people express strong indignation at this wrong move by the Japanese leader. Wuhan University Wei pointed out that China has noticed that Prime Minister Koizumi abandoned his original plan to visit the shrine on the sensitive date of "August 15", and made a speech on the issue of historical understanding, expressing recognition of aggression and reflection on history. The Japanese government should take concrete actions to reflect on its history of aggression. The South Korean government expresses serious regret. On August 13, 2001, the spokesperson of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement expressing "serious regret" over Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's insistence on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. The statement said that Koizumi insisted on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, which symbolizes Japanese militarism, despite the repeated concerns expressed by the South Korean government and many domestic objections. The South Korean government expresses "serious regret" for Koizumi's insistence on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, which symbolizes Japanese militarism. The statement said that Japanese war criminals had violated world peace and brought unspeakable disasters to neighboring countries. The Japanese prime minister's visit to these war criminals "cannot but cause concern in South Korea." The statement stressed that if Koizumi wants to establish true good-neighborly and friendly relations with neighboring countries, he South Korea protests and condemnation from all walks of life After the news that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi insisted on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine despite strong opposition at home and abroad reached South Korea on August 13, 2001, it immediately aroused strong protests and condemnation from all walks of life in South Korea. The ruling New Millennium Democratic Party of South Korea and the Liberal Democratic Alliance issued comments and statements respectively today, strongly condemning Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. In a comment issued by New Millennium Democratic Party spokesperson Tian Yunhe, Koizumi's insistence on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine despite strong opposition from Asian countries "is to insert a dagger into the chest of South Korea and other Asian countries". This "is tantamount to declaring that Japan is no longer a peace-loving country". The comment said that South Korea will do its best to condemn and prevent Japan from resurrecting the dead of militarism. Mr. Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni, as a leader of a country, was "an attempt to legitimize war" and "absolutely intolerable," said a statement issued on the same day by a spokesperson for the Liberal Democratic Alliance. Kwon Cheol-hyun, a spokesperson for the opposition Grand National Party, also commented that Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine caused "consternation." Koizumi's action, he said, "is stupid. He may have a little support in Japan, but he will lose the support of the world." Some social groups in South Korea also issued statements on the same day, strongly condemning and protesting Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. Kim Yun-yu, co-representative of the "Korean Association on Countermeasures for the Uplift Issue", said that the Japanese buried at the Yasukuni Shrine were the perpetrators of bullying South Korean "comfort women". The Japanese prime minister's visit to the shrine, treating the dead Japanese as gods, is absolutely intolerable. This is "a challenge to East Asian countries and a threat to peace in the region." Kim Min-chul, executive chairperson of the "Correction of Japanese Textbooks Campaign Headquarters," said Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine is "ignoring the behavior of neighboring countries" and "a conspiracy to resurrect militarism." Kim Yin-shik, director of the "Pacific War Victims Compensation Promotion Association", pointed out that although Koizumi changed the date of his visit to Yasukuni Shrine, its "nature has not changed". The Japanese prime minister's visit to Yasukuni Shrine "actually announced the revival of militarism." Japanese political parties severely criticized August 13, 2001. Japanese political parties issued statements and statements, strongly protesting and severely criticizing Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine. The statement issued by the opposition Social Democratic Party said that Prime Minister Koizumi's forcible visit to the Yasukuni Shrine is absolutely intolerable. The Yasukuni Shrine treats the executed Class A war criminals as gods and ordinary war dead, which is intolerable. The statement said that Koizumi's visit to the shrine will not only seriously hurt the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other Asian countries that have suffered tremendous disasters due to Japan's war of aggression and colonial rule, but also seriously hurt the feelings of the Japanese people. At the same time, it will inevitably seriously damage the trust relationship between Japan and Asian countries. Although Koizumi made a statement to explain before the visit, the visit will still deepen this distrust. Yukio Hatoyama, the leader of the Democratic Party, told reporters that if you put yourself in the shoes of China, South Korea and other war victims, the right and wrong of Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine is obvious. Koizumi's move to advance the date of the visit by two days is just a means to ease criticism, and its visit is still indignant. Hatoyama said that it is regrettable that Koizumi went to visit the shrine without a clear explanation of the issue that the Yasukuni shrine has a plaque of Class A war criminals and the visit is contrary to the spirit of the constitution. Kazuo Shiba, chairperson of the Communist Party of Japan, said that the Yasukuni Shrine is a shrine that describes the war of aggression as a correct war and worships the dead in this position. Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to the shrine shows that he himself stands on the position of affirming the war of aggression, which is not allowed. The Liberal Party issued a statement saying that the Prime Minister has repeatedly and publicly stated that he wants to visit the Yasukuni Shrine, and this imprudent attitude is itself problematic. Takefa Kanzaki, a representative of the Komeito Party, one of the ruling parties, said that Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine is not only suspected of violating the principle of separation of church and state in the constitution, but also will have an impact on Japan's diplomacy, which is very regrettable. Kanzaki said that although it can be seen from Koizumi's remarks that Koizumi has taken into account the reactions of neighboring countries, his visit will inevitably lead to opposition from neighboring countries. In the future, Komeito will closely monitor Prime Minister Koizumi's actions in dealing with neighboring countries. Yasukuni Shrine (Small Information) Yasukuni Shrine is located in Jiudan, Tokyo, Japan. It was built in 1869 and covers an area of about 100,000 square meters. It is Yasukuni Shrine was originally called "Tokyo Conjuring Shrine", but changed its current name 10 years later. Before the war, Yasukuni Shrine was a "national shrine" managed by the government. After the second world war, Yasukuni Shrine became a "religious corporation" organization. In 1978, the Yasukuni Shrine secretly dedicated the souls of 14 Japanese Class A war criminals, including Hideki Tojo, Seijiro Itagaki and Hiroyuki Hirota, who were sentenced to death by the Far East Military Tribunal after the second world war. In addition, there are stone towers that praise Japanese militarism, as well as military flags and war swords that promote militarism. Every year around August 15, some Japanese dignitaries always visit the Yasukuni Shrine in their public or private capacity, which arouses strong opposition from peace-loving countries and people in Asia and the world. Therefore, it is widely regarded as a symbol of Japanese militarism.