Abstract
On October 17, 2005, Prime Minister Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine for the fifth time. These visits immediately ignite reactions from China and Korea, with violent demonstrations and official protests. Indeed, each of the Prime Minister's visit to the Shrine is an object of controversy. Yasukuni Shrine is the Japanese equivalent of the tomb of the unknown soldier, which represents all the soldiers who died during wars that Japan was involved in, and the monument is a religious one. But for China and Korea, the Shrine embodies Japanese bloody militarism and imperialism that these two countries suffered from. On the other hand, Koizumi seems not to take in account his neighbours feelings as he continues to visit the Shrine every year.
