Japan PM war shrine visit unlikely before autumn

Tokyo, Dec 31: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will notvisit a Tokyo war shrine at the centre of a long-running dispute withChina until next autumn at the earliest, and may not go even then, aJapanese newspaper reported today.

Tokyo's relations with neighbouring Beijing and Seoul sank totheir chilliest in decades under Abe's predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi,partly because of his annual visits to Yasukuni Shrine, which criticssee as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Abe, who took over in September, has declined to say whether hewill pay his respects as prime minister at Yasukuni, an ambiguousstance that enabled him to hold summits with Chinese and South Koreanleaders in a key step towards rebuilding ties.

Domestic media reports say he visited privately earlier this year, prior to becoming prime minister.

According to government and ruling party sources quoted by theTokyo Shimbun daily, however, Abe will not visit the shrine untilautumn 2007 at the earliest, with his decision at that time determinedby relations between Tokyo and its Asian neighbours.

In particular, he will avoid a visit on August. 15, theanniversary of Japan's defeat in World War Two and a particularlyemotive day for China and South Korea, which have bitter memories ofJapanese military aggression before and during the war.

Officials at the prime minister's office were unavailable for comment.

Japanese World War Two leaders convicted as war criminals by anAllied tribunal are honoured at the shrine along with millions of wardead, provoking anger in parts of Asia.

Media reports have said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is set to cometo Japan in April, the first such visit in more than six years, and Abewould avoid going to Yasukuni beforehand so as not to create friction,the paper said.

The most likely time for Abe to visit would be during the shrine'sautumn festival in late October, the daily said, although a finaldecision would be made after assessing the situation with China andSouth Korea at that time.

Koizumi went to Yasukuni annually during his five years as primeminister, most recently on August. 15 this year, provoking outrage inChina and South Korea.

Reuters