Yasukuni, Yasukuni

Just when Japanese PM Koizumi arrives Canada, and starts his farewell trip to North America, Yasukuni issue becomes a hot topic again between China and Japan.

Mr. Koizumi told reporters on his way that, he is free to visit Yasukuni Shrine any times, it is his personal choice. While China immediately responds that, Koizumi may be going to visit Yasukuni before his steping down in this fall.

At a forum held yesterday at Center for Security and International Studies(CSIS), an influential think tank in Washington DC, two top Japan and East Asian scholars, Kurt Campell(not Randy Shriver as I reported on my previous post) and Mike Green debated hotly about Yasukuni issue.

Dr. Campell proposes that Bush administation, when warmly welcomes Mr.Koizumi to the White House and Graceland, should also take Yasukuni issue into consideration. Bush should candidly raise the issue with Koizumi, just the way that two friends disucss things that one party should paly catiously. While Dr. Green thinks that Bush administration shouldnot get into this issue at all.

Want more about the debate, here is a audio clip and transcript from CSIS website.