On Aug. 15, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi plans to visit Yasukuni Shrine for the express purpose of paying homage to the souls of those who died during World War II and expressing his determination that Japan will never again seek to solve international disputes by military force.
This is a reasonable thing to do, as Japan, unlike China, does not possess nuclear bombs, let alone more sophisticated weapons. Moreover, there is no denying that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are considerably weaker than their Chinese or South Korean counterparts. Unlike China and South Korea, which have compulsory military-draft systems, Japan uses voluntary enlistment. Furthermore, Japan has not experienced war since the end of World War II, whereas its two neighbors have.
This indicates that Japan is a peaceful, nonmilitant nation, which should not cause alarm to China or South Korea. It is against this background that Koizumi will express his sincerity to the souls of those who sacrificed their lives for the state of Japan. It follows, therefore, that his visit to the shrine should not be of concern to Japan's neighbors.