Notably, he has refused to pander to Japanese nationalists by visiting Tokyo's tainted Yasukuni war shrine.
Koizumi Avoids War Shrine TOKYO, Aug. 15 (AP) -- In a gesture to Japan's neighbors, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi did not visit a controversial war shrine today on the 57th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
Relations were aggravated, too, by repeated visits to a Japanese war shrine by Junichiro Koizumi, a former prime minister, during his 2001-6 term.
Defusing potential flare-ups with Asian neighbors, Mr. Noda said he would not visit a contentious Tokyo war shrine that honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals.
Mr Fukuda, however, seems keen on promoting better relations with China (he opposed Mr Koizumi's insistence on visiting the Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo, for example).
Mr Koizumi insisted on his freedom to visit Yasukuni, a militarist war shrine in Tokyo where past imperialism is still revered.
Mr. Koizumi had repeatedly visited Tokyo's Yasukuni war shrine, which is seen by critics as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.
Beijing is particularly enraged by Koizumi's insistence on making an annual visit to the Yasukuni war shrine, which honours - among millions of others - terrible war criminals.
Justin Bieber has apologised after posting a photograph that showed him standing in front of the controversial Yasukuni war shrine in Tokyo.
Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has made a visit to a controversial war shrine in Tokyo, prompting a furious response from China and concern in the US.
