Two out of the 17 ministers in Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet vowed Tuesday to pay their respects at Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, the 61st anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said an earlier pledge to visit Yasukuni on Aug. 15 still holds, although he declined to say whether he would actually go to the controversial shrine this year.
"Yes, the election promise is still valid," Koizumi told reporters, referring to the pledge he made during his campaign for ruling Liberal Democratic Party's top post in 2001. As the winner of that election, Koizumi became prime minister.