Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi gives his first news conference of the New Year at Prime Minister's Office.

Speaking about his visits to the Tokyo shrine that honors Japan's 2.47 million war dead, as well as Class-A war criminals, Koizumi said, "China and South Korea should not close the door to (summit) talks or negotiations only because of this single issue."

China and South Korea have refused to hold summits with Koizumi in recent months, citing his repeated visits to the Shinto shrine as evidence that Japan has not atoned for its wartime aggression and colonial rule.

Asked by reporters what specific steps he could take to improve the strained relations with the two key East Asian neighbors, Koizumi said that the ball to improve ties between the political leaders is in Beijing's and Seoul's court.

"I would be willing to respond to talks at any time, and the door is open," Koizumi said. "The remaining question is what decision the other sides make."

Koizumi said it is only natural for the prime minister to express gratitude and pay respects to the war dead in general, with a renewed pledge to never cause another war.

Koizumi described his decision to continue his shrine visits as "a matter of the heart" that should not be interfered with by anyone who respects freedom of thought.

Meanwhile, on Jan. 8, Shinzo Abe, the popular favorite to succeed Koizumi, criticized China for its boycott of a Japan-China summit due to their diplomatic spat over wartime history.

"It is wrong to reject a contact between the leaders," Koizumi's chief Cabinet secretary said in an interview with TV Asahi.

"The door is always open on the Japanese side," Abe said. "I think it's not good diplomacy that they don't want to hold a meeting when their partners' conduct is inconsistent with their wishes."

The Japan Times Weekly: Jan. 14, 2006
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