JCP Shii talks with China's new Ambassador to Japan Wu

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on August 2 received new
Chinese ambassador to Japan Wu Dawei at the JCP head office.

Wu took the occasion to explain China's view on Prime Minister Koizumi
Jun'ichiro's planned visit to Yasukuni Shrine and the history textbook
issue, which are major sources of concern in Japan-China relations. He said
that he will make every effort to establish sound relations between the two
countries appropriate to the 21st century.

Wu highly appreciated the JCP for maintaining a fair and clear-cut
position on the history textbook and other issues.

JCP Shii briefed the JCP's August 1 representations to Prime Minister
Koizumi, calling for the planned official visit to Yasukuni Shrine to be
canceled. He said: "Yasukuni Shrine is dedicated to the memory of the people
who 'devoted their lives' to the state under the emperor's orders; it was a
state institute to gear up Japan's militarism, and even after the end of
WWII it enshrines Class-A war criminals by calling them 'patriots in the
Showa era.'" (end)