Aug. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, drawing protests from China and South Korea which say the memorial glorifies Japanese militarism.

Koizumi, who says he visits the shrine to reaffirm Japan's commitment to peace and honor its war dead, arrived at about 7:40 a.m. and made an offering. China and South Korea, among Japan's biggest trading partners, issued official protests.

Among the 2.5 million people enshrined at Yasukuni are 14 men convicted of war crimes, including World War II leader Hideki Tojo, who was hanged for crimes against humanity. The shrine's museum says Japan's invasion of Asia was to liberate the region from colonial rule and that it was forced into war with the U.S.

``It isn't a war memorial, it's a memorial to Japanese imperialism and militarism,'' said Chalmers Johnson, president of the Japan Policy Research Institute and author of ``MITI and the Japanese Miracle.''

Koizumi said today he doesn't understand the criticism of his visits to Yasukuni, which translates as ``Peaceful Nation'' and is near the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo.

``I don't visit the shrine for particular people,'' Koizumi said at a press conference in Tokyo. ``I visit Yasukuni to express my grief to people who had to die against their will in wars for the country and their families. Such tragedies should never happen again.''

China Protests

China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing summoned Japan's ambassador Yuji Miyamoto to protest the visit in Beijing.

``The Chinese government strongly protests this behavior which severely hurts the feelings of the people in countries that were victims of the Japanese war of aggression and damages the foundations of the Chinese and Japanese relationship,'' Li said.

The visit hurts ties between South Korea and Japan and impedes regional cooperation, South Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman Choo Kyu Ho said in Seoul. Ambassador Shotaro Oshima was called in by South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung Hwan to register the government's disapproval.

Leaders of both countries refused to meet with Koizumi following his trip to the shrine in October last year.

Koizumi said at the televised press conference after the visit he hoped China and South Korea wouldn't refuse to hold summit meetings with Japan because of the shrine issue.

Rising Investment

Keizai Doyukai, or the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, on May 10 urged Koizumi to end his visits to Yasukuni because they may damage economic ties with China.

Japan's first-half investment in China rose at the fastest pace in two years, a sign that business ties between Asia's two largest economies may be trumping political concerns, the Japan External Trade Organization said yesterday.

Protesters clashed as thousands gathered outside the shrine before Koizumi's visit. A busload of people wearing blue helmets was attacked by others in military clothing, carrying Japanese flags. Police intervened and the bus drove off.

``The prime minister should go every year on this day,'' said Kaoru Suzuki, holding a banner praising Koizumi's visit outside Yasukuni. ``Of course war is bad, but this is our history and it should be commemorated.''

Tourists from South Korea and China in Tokyo today said they opposed the visit.

``From a Korean perspective, this is the day of independence from Japanese occupation and we have celebrations at home,'' Justin Oh, a 37-year-old pharmaceutical worker on vacation in Tokyo said outside the Imperial Palace today. ``So I'm a little disappointed.''

Founded in 1869, the shrine commemorates the souls of those killed in war and was run by the military until the U.S. occupation authorities banned state Shintoism after the war.

`Alienating' China

The museum's exhibits on World War II portray Japan's role as a liberator of Asian nations from colonial rule and Gallery 11 has a display that refers to U.S. plans to ``force Japan into war'' being set in motion.

Gallery 10 presents a view of the Rape of Nanjing, then known as Nanking, that differs from historians' estimates that thousands of civilians and soldiers were killed in 1937.

``Inside the city, residents were once again able to live their lives in peace'' after ``the Chinese were soundly defeated, suffering heavy casualties,'' Yasukuni Museum says in reference to what it calls the Nanking Incident.

China maintains 300,000 people were massacred over a six- week period in Nanjing.

``The visits to Yasukuni drive Japan entirely into the U.S. camp and alienate Japan from China and its other neighbors,'' said Ian Buruma, author of The Wages of Guilt, an analysis of how Germany and Japan have dealt with their World War II legacies. ``Japan should play a more constructive role in Asia, but it can only do so by not alienating China.''

Stepping Down

Koizumi steps down as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party at the end of September, relinquishing his post as Japan's leader. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, who is the favorite to succeed Koizumi, said on Aug. 4 he wouldn't comment on reports he visited the shrine in April.

As many as 50 percent of Japanese say the country's next prime minister should not visit the shrine, while 40 percent support the visits, the Yomiuri Newspaper reported on Aug. 9, citing its own poll.

Almost 46 percent of people opposing the visits said recent reports the late Emperor Hirohito stopped visiting Yasukuni after it enshrined war criminals had influenced their views.

``A visit on the anniversary doesn't make a huge difference because Koizumi is stepping down so soon,'' Buruma said. ``It's going to make things more difficult for his successor. If Abe, or whoever it is, doesn't go, he'll be accused of pandering to the Chinese.''

To contact the reporters on this story: Keiichi Yamamura in Tokyo at kyamamura@bloomberg.net; John Brinsley in Tokyo at jbrinsley@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 15, 2006 05:56 EDT