Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is considering paying his annual visit to Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine this Aug. 15, the anniversary of the end of World War II, in a move likely to prompt an outcry from China and other Asian nations, according to his aides.
Koizumi will assess the situation in Japan and China before concluding when to make the visit, the aides said.
If he goes on Aug. 15, it could damage ties with China and further delay the restart of mutual visits by the two countries' leaders. These visits have been suspended due to Koizumi's previous visits to Yasukuni.