There is a strange phenomenon that can be often seen in the mysterious Japanese political life -- the political struggle in reality is often affected by some specific historical figures and events. Recently, a newspaper citied a memorandum which explained that the reason why Emperor Showa refrained from visiting the Yasukuni Shrine was the shrine's decision to honor Class-A war criminals. The Memorandum just created a new twist for the already white-hot Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election. Under the efforts of the mainstream media in Japan, the major controversy on Japan's diplomatic and national development has evolved into a full scope of debate within the country.

According to Japan's major newspaper Mainichi Shimbun (the "Daily News"), 54% of Japanese citizens are opposed to their prime minister's visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. Compared to the figure of the survey in January this year, there is a seven percent increase. And the percentage for the people who support the visiting declined to 33%, a decrease of 14 percentage points.

What has confused the public is that, even in the face of such a severe public pressure, the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, known for toughness and persistence, insisted on visiting the Yasukuni Shrine which enshrines 14 Class-A war criminals on August 15. Having always been labeling itself as a respecter of public opinion, why did the LDP go against the national will this time? Being fully aware that visiting the Shrine which houses the war criminals whose hands are stained with blood of the Asian people will further aggravate the relations between the Japanese and its Asian neighbors, why did Japan use its neighbor's field as a drain?

The answer lies in the blueprint of those Japanese strategic politicians. For Koizumi, visiting the shrine was neither a "historical preference," nor a religious belief. In today's Japanese society, the Yasukuni Shrine is a banner for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, which stands for a political symbol for an attempt to restore the old dream of the great Japanese empire. Visiting the shrine as a Prime Minister, Koizumi aims to break away from the historical burden of its aggression war and head for a dream of being a political and military power. This is why Koizumi has repeated his visits to Yasukuni Shrine again and again. As an independent politician, before he took office as Prime Minister, Koizumi had never been to the Yasukuni Shrine. This also reveals the fundamental purpose of his coming visit.

Japanese conservative politicians often prefer to use their respect towards traditional culture to conceal their real purpose of visiting the Shrine. However, just as Japan's great traditional cultural master Umehara Takeshi said, the sitting politicians' visiting the Shrine is not consistent with traditional Japanese culture at all. The Ancient Shinto were enshrining and worshiping the deceased souls of both sides of war. Therefore, to enshrine only the criminals who have launched the invasion is not only against Japan's historical traditions and customs, but also is seriously challenging international principles and justice.

Of course, Koizumi has another excuse for his Shrine visit �C "visiting the Yasukuni Shrine is a matter of my heart and it has nothing to do with other countries." When Emperor Showa was making self-examination on the war, he said with remorse: "I disgust to visit the Yasukuni Shrine which worships the spirits of Class-A war criminals. This is from my heart!" The current Emperor Heisei has inherited the introspecting philosophy of the aggression war. Emperor Heisei has been acting cautiously in handling the Yasukuni Shrine issue and has never set foot in the controversial site which receives condemns from Asian neighbors and progressive Japanese peace-lovers. Obviously, Koizumi has totally different "heart" with the two generations of emperors.

Evidently, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's coming visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15 is completely an arrogant and isolated practice which is against the inclination of Japan's "national symbol", the Emperor, and the will of the majority of the Japanese people. Of course, various Japanese right-wingers will applaud for it. However, it is totally a different story about how Koizumi would be recorded and described in the history when he vacates the position. Koizumi can certainly ignore history. But he can only wait and see how the history will make its merciless judge in the future.

The author He Xiaosong is assistant research fellow with the Institute of Japanese Studies, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.