Prime Minister Koizumi treats Class-A war criminals as heroes

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro on March 28 made remarks that could be read as his viewing Class-A war criminals, including Tojo Hideki, as heroes.

On a TV Asahi program, PM Koizumi stated, "It's incomprehensible" that China and some other countries are critical of his visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

Apparently in allusion to Class-A war criminals, he said, "(Those countries) tell me not to go (Yasukuni Shrine) just because they don't like some of them (Class-A war criminals). It is strange."

Koizumi went on to say, "We have to respect each others' history, tradition, and culture. We cannot behave in the same way because we all have different histories." "A hero in one country can be the worst kind of rogue or enemy in other countries."

The prime minister also expressed a need for a revision of Article 9 Section 2 which prohibits Japan from maintaining armed forces by saying, "Why don't we recognize Self-Defense Forces as military forces?" (end)