TOKYO, Oct. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Taiwan natives, who sue Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, on Tuesday decided to accept a high court ruling that the premier's shrine visit unconstitutional.

    "Although it is unsatisfied that the court dismissed our damages demand, we have decided to accept the ruling and give up appealing to the Supreme Court, as it is commendable in that it recognized Koizumi's Yasukuni visits unconstitutional," the plaintiffs' lawyer Nakashima said.

    Meanwhile, the accused -- the premier, the state and the Yasukuni Shrine, have no plan to appeal to the Supreme Court, thus,the high court ruling will be affirmatory result of the case.

    The Osaka High Court on Sept. 30 ruled that Koizumi's visits tothe Yasukuni Shrine were unconstitutional. The ruling said Koizumi visited the war criminal-related shrine in an official capacity.

    Some 180 plaintiffs filed the suit with the high court, more than half coming from China's Taiwan Province which was under Japan's colonial rule for about 50 years until Japan's surrender in 1945.

    The high court overrode a ruling made by the Osaka District Court last May which did not say whether the visits had violated Japan constitution, which forbids government officials engaging inreligious activities in their official capacities.

    The high court made the ruling based on the facts that Koizumi used governmental vehicles and signed as prime minister in the visitor's book during his three visits from 2001 to 2003.

    Koizumi has paid annual visits to the shrine over the past fouryears. He has not yet made clear when or whether he would visit the facility this year.

    The Yasukuni Shrine enshrines 14 Class-A World War II war criminals responsible for Japan's aggression war against its Asian neighbors. His visits have been strongly protested by Asian countries, especially China and South Korea. Enditem