Koizumi's shrine visit provokes indignation in China ( 2004-01-02 02:02) (Xinhua)
Japanese Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi's visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on New Year's Day has
provoked strong indignation from China.
On New Year's Day, Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine in his capacity as
Japan's prime minister, his fourth in three years to a place that honors Class-A
war criminals, whose hands were stained with the blood of the people of China
and other Asian countries.
Most of the Chinese media Friday carried reports on Koizumi's shrine visit
and Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi's solemn representations to the
Japanese government, saying that it was a perfidious act by Koizumi in defiance
of opposition in Japan and from other Asian countries, and has undermined the
political basis for Sino-Japanese ties.
Many internet surfers also lodged strong criticisms and condemnations. In a
forum run by Xinhuanet, over 300 comments were posted within a day.
Koizumi's repeated visits to the shrine ran counter to the commitment made by
the Japanese government and Koizumi himself to reflect on Japan's war past and
it is only natural that they have provoked strong opposition and indignation of
the people of China and other Asian countries, according to the comments.
"Koizumi's shrine visit in defiance of world opinion has seriously hurt the
people of China and other Asian countries who were victimized by the Japanese
war of aggression," said Zhang Qiang, manager of Beijing Hantang Wenqiang
Culture Company.
Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi Thursday lodged solemn representations
over Koizumi's shrine visit and condemned the act when he summoned the charge
d'affaires ad interim of Japan to China to an interview.
The government's solemn representations have spoken for all Chinese people,
said Zhang Qiang.
Ms. Duan, former deputy curator of a museum commemorating those killed in
Nanjing Massacre in east China's Jiangsu Province, said Nanjing people had not
recovered yet from the massacre, in which the Japanese aggressors killed over
300,000 Chinese.
Koizumi's shrine visit meant defiance and threat to the Chinese people and
has severely hurt Chinese people's feelings, Duan said.
Wang Yanfei, a graduate student from Nanjing Normal University, said her
classmates were shocked by Koizumi's visit to the shrine.
"Koizumi cast a shadow over Sino-Japanese relations at the beginning of the
new year," said Wang.
The Japanese Prime Minister's repeated shrine visits showed the right wing
was gaining ground in Japan, which would threaten peace in Asia, said Wang.
Zhang Heng, a company clerk in the Beijing Economic Development Zone, said
Koizumi's defense for his act was unreasonable, adding that Koizumi's repeated
wrongdoing would only arouse disgust among the Chinese people.
"We can not tolerate the Japanese leader's shrine visit at any time, because
his act hurt Chinese people's feelings and impaired the basis of Sino-Japanese
ties," said Zhao Ping, from Fuzhou in east China's Fujian Province.
Feng Zhaokui, a researcher at the Japanese Research Institute of the Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences, said Koizumi's shrine visit was "irrational". "The
shrine visit and Japan's plan to send troops overseas give a dangerous hint to
Asian counties," said Feng.
The Chinese people strongly urged the Japanese leaders to heed the just calls
of the people of China and other Asian countries and eliminate the pernicious
influence of the shrine visit.
Mr. Qian, from Beijing, said the mutual trust between China and many other
countries was strengthened last year while Sino- Japanese ties were still
deadlocked. The reason was that the Japanese side had not sincerely reflected on
their past and this shrine visit has further undermined mutual trust, said Qian.
"If Japanese leaders persist in their wrongdoing, they are sure to lose their
credibility among the people of China, other Asian countries and the world as a
whole and will eventually harm Japan' s own interests," said Qian.
Wang Shaopu, a professor with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said,
"We should not only urge Koizumi to stop his shrine visits, but also need to
consider how to prevent further development of new nationalism in Japan," said
Wang.
This is an important issue concerning the future of Japan, East Asia and the
whole world, said the professor.
