Koizumi: "I Will Continue to Visit Shrine"

Koizumi: "I Will Continue to Visit Shrine". April. 07, 2004 22:34. by Hun-Joo Cho hanscho@donga.com.

For the first time, a Japanese court has judged that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visits to Yasukuni shrine violate constitutional law.

On April 6, the Fukuoka district court gave a decision on the case that 211 religionists of seven prefectures in the Kyushu region had filed against Koizumi and the nation.

In the decision, senior judge Giyonaga Kamekawa said that Koizumi’s visits to the shrine “referred to religious activity in terms of the public’s religious evaluation, and its effect and influence toward the public.” He explained that Koizumi’s visit to the shrine is in violation of article 20 of the constitutional law.

In article 20-clause 3 of the Japanese constitutional law, it clearly states the separation of religion and politics by mentioning that “the nation and the national institution have no right to execute religious education and any other religious activities.”

However, as for compensation for damage to the freedom of religion, which the religionists believe was infringed due to Koizumi’s visits to the shrine, the court turned down the application.

Regarding the court’s decision, Prime Minister Koizumi replied that he goes to the shrine based on his personal belief and that he cannot accept the fact that it is against constitutional law. Koizumi said he would continue to visit the shrine in the future.