HONOLULU -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi remains in denial over the negative impact his continued visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine are having on Japanese and U.S. national security interests.
South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao just provided the latest clear example when they refused to arrange a three-way side meeting with him during the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Kuala Lumpur this week. The three nations make up the "Plus-Three" component in the ASEAN-Plus-Three arrangement, which remains at the core of this first-ever EAS. Leaders and senior officials of the three major East Asia economies traditionally have met to discuss closer political and economic cooperation whenever ASEAN-Plus-Three convenes.
Koizumi is, of course, honoring his campaign pledge to continue paying tribute to Japan's war dead -- more than 2 million souls are interred at Yasukuni, unfortunately including 14 convicted Class A World War II criminals. That's the source of the tension with South Korea and China.