Q：  Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi said at a committee of the Diet that he would pay homage to the Yasukuni Shrine as scheduled regardless of the opposition of countries like China and ROK.  What is your comment?

A：  China has repeatedly pointed out that the essence of the Yasukuni Shrine issue is how the Japanese Government understands and approach its history of aggression.  Japanese leaders are saying on the one hand that they attach importance to international coordination and the development of friendly relations with Asian countries, yet they on the other hand insist on paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine which houses the memorial tablets of top war criminals.  We find it very difficult to understand.  If they persist, it will inevitably arouse strong indignation of the people of countries that have suffered from the aggression by Japanese militarism.