The head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) said in a speech Tuesday that the CPPCC has expressed its strong indignation and severe condemnation for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.
On August 13, Koizumi, disregarding the strong protests from China and other neighboring Asian nations, neglecting the outcry from upright and peace-loving citizens at home, ignoring advice from insiders of the ruling parties and most cabinet members, insisted on paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine, the speech noted.
His action is an open provocation to the Asian people, including the Chinese, who were tormented by Japan's invasion during World War II, and has severely undermined the hard-won Sino- Japanese friendly ties, the speech said.
The Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the memorial tablets of 14 class-A war criminals, is a symbol of Japan's militarism in modern history, said the official.
Whether to worship it or not is a measuring stick for determining the attitude of leading Japanese politicians towards the history of aggression, and shows if they have genuine respect for the feelings of Asian people.
The new Japanese cabinet has repeatedly expressed its willingness to adhere to the stance of admitting and closely examining Japan's aggressive past for the development of relations with neighboring nations, the official said.
However, Koizumi deviated from the solemn commitments made by previous administrations, and in doing so would not only lose the trust of the Asian people but also damage Japan's international image, the official said.
Japan's wartime military aggression brought unprecedented sufferings to the Asian people as well as to the Japanese people themselves, and the atrocities are undeniable, the official said.
The Japanese government and its leaders are strongly urged to seriously reflect on that part of history and show respect to the feelings of China and other Asian neighbors, treat seriously the Sino-Japanese relations, and lead the Japanese people onto a road of peace and development, the official said.
Only by doing this can Japan gain trust from Asian nations and the international community, and this is also in Japan's best interests, said the official, warning that if Japan does otherwise, the situation will not end well.
(Xinhua News Agency 08/14/2001)
