Koizumi whipped up controversy again amongst his neighbors by visiting Yasukuni shrine last week. Even today, days after the event, it is still making news in the Chinese media (Sina) although it has dropped off the scopes of the CCP’s People’s Daily.
In Japan, NHK and Asahi, did their usual critical approach, with emphasis on the reactions of Korea and China or critical voices at home but within a few days there were plenty of articles noting the “well planned” and “strategic” timing of the visit (See Mainichi Daily News and Yomiuri articles, both English, for example) which avoided the upcoming transfers of power in Korea and China and the need to visit again during the key August 15th date.
江藤隆美 (Et� Takami or perhaps Takayoshi), an LDP right-wing politician who is famous for losing his cabinet position with the 1995 declaration that “Japan also did good things for its Korean colony” declared on the 18th that since the Russian Prime Minister visits military memorials, why is it objectionable that Japan visits Yasukuni. Besides the obvious historical fact that they aren’t paying homage to convicted war criminals, on the pragmatic end he doesn’t seem to have noticed the different diplomatic climate which Japan continues to face. Your comments are welcome…