Japanese political figures and social organizations criticized on Monday Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, pointing out that such a move damages relations with neighboring countries.

Yohei Kono, speaker of the House of Representatives, said public opinion surveys conducted by Japanese media had showed that the Japanese people was not in favor of the visits.

He noted that Koizumi's practice was a major obstacle in promoting Japan's relations with other Asian countries.

Tetsuzo Fuwa, chairman of the Central Committee of the Japanese Communist Party, pointed out that the visits had led to worries about Japan's diplomatic prospect, adding that senior government officials should not visit the shrine.

Former Secretary General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Koichi Kato said the Japan-China relationship is bound to deteriorate due to Koizumi's visits to the shrine.

Koizumi was intended to accentuate the visit on Monday as a private act by taking a different way from the previous ones, but that did not work in a diplomatic sense, he said.

Koizumi made his fifth annual visit early Monday to the shrine which honors Japan's World War II Class-A war criminals. The premier did not donate money to the shrine and sign on the visitor 's book as a prime minister as he has done in the previous visits. Still, dressed in business suits instead of formal traditional Japanese garment, he just prayed outside of the main temple.

Koizumi noted later that his visit was in a private capacity.

The gestures designed to assuage anticipated criticisms, however, have apparently failed to act.

Kyuhei Muraoka, director general of the Japan-China Friendship Association, said, "We feel enraged as Prime Minister Koizumi insisted on visiting the shrine given the growing calls in Japan against the practice. It was a retroactive action at a time when Japan needs to build a relation of mutual trust with other Asian nations especially China."

Source: Xinhua