Unfortunately Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi is quitting next month, but he made the most of his final days in office by visiting the Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender to the Allies in 1945. Apparently during his campaign to become head of the Liberal Democratic Party, he had promised to make a visit the shrine, which honors two million Japanese who died for the Emperor of Japan between 1867 and 1945, some year on August 15. Until now he made his annual visits on other days, though, in an attempt to avoid riling up Japan’s neighbors. But, says the Japan Times:
“I have always been criticized and opposed, even when I avoided (visiting Yasukuni) on Aug. 15,” the prime minister said. “It doesn’t make any difference when I go.”
Of course the feckless South Korean government took the opportunity to show far more hate for Koizumi and the Japanese government than they ever show for Kim Jong-Il and his brutal regime, as did Red China. That just shows how credible they are on the state of the world today, when they won’t let World War II end.
I just hope Koizumi’s successor will be as strong-willed about making his country a strong partner of the US in security and prosperity. I also hope Donald Rumsfeld will continue to move our troops in Korea away toward the south, as an acknowledgement that their priorities clearly differ from ours.