China

The government of China is one of the most ardent critics of Koizumi's visits of Yasukuni. Some evidence in support of this claim is that despite its usual policy of intolerance to any kind of political dissent, the ruling communist party is pretty tolerant to public protests against Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni, thus using nationalistic motives to improve its own reputation.

Among the actions taken by China on the governmental level in response of Koizumi's visits were the summoning of the Japanese ambassador in Beijing and calling off of several important diplomatic meetings. In May 2005, after Koizumi's statement that foreign countries shouldn't interfere with Japanese affairs regarding Yasukuni, Chinese vice-premier Wi Yi cancelled her important meeting with Koizumi, that was supposed to help ease the tense Japanese-Chinese relations after the Japanese textbooks controversy. The chinese government cancelled the meeting of the Japanese foreign minister Nobutaka Machinura with the governor of Tokyo Shintaro Ishihara. Chinese foreign ministry came up with the statement that "the essence of of the Yasukuni Shrine question is whether the Japanese side can sincerely repent that aggressive period of history".

South Korea

South Korea responded to Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni with passionate public protests, which started when he first visited the shrine in 2001. Students marched in the streets, protesters burned Koizumi's image and organized his mock funeral, some young men even cut off their little fingers to signify their ardent opposition of the actions taken by the Prime Minister of Japan. The official position of the foreign ministry of South Korea was the statement: "We cannot find the words to express our concern that a Japanese prime minister would pay homage to war criminals who destroyed world peace and caused indescribable damage to neighbouring countries".

An official request on behalf of the Korean foreign ministry has been made in 2001 that Korean names be be dropped from the list of names of "Japanese Patriots" in Yasukuni, because it was unacceptable for the Koreans to be in a shrine along with the war criminals.In 2003, when he first visited Japan after he left his office, even former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung expressed criticism of the visits conducted by Japanese politicians. He suggested that the fourteen class A criminals be moved to a different location.

Taiwan

Taiwanese representatives of nine tribes whose ancestors were enshrined at Yasukuni, tried to visit the shrine led by aboriginal politician Kao-Chin Su-mei. They wanted to request the removal of their ancestors from Yasukuni, but protesting Japanese nationalists didn't let the Taiwanese representatives get to the shrine. Japanese police didn't do anything about it with the excuse they wanted to prevent any clashes between the Japanese and Taiwanese groups.

Singapore

In Singapore a news report about Koizumi's visit of Yasukuni was broadcast along with scenes of Japanese soldiers shooting people.

Phillipines

In the Philipinnes and Hong Kong protests by women were launched with the motive that Koizumi is visiting a shrine that honors soldiers who raped women.

 

Protests against Koizumi's visits of Yasukini:

Protesters burn Koizumi's image

South Korean men cut off their little fingers in protest

 

 

 

 

 

Public protests

Images of flags taken from: http://www.theodora.com/flags/

Images of protests taken from: http://www.imadr.org