TOKYO, Oct. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki Moon said Friday that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine are undesirable, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

    In his meeting with Koizumi in Tokyo, Ban urged Koizumi to refrain from visiting Yasukuni Shrine, describing such visits as undesirable not only for South Korea-Japan relations but also for the future of East Asia, according to the ministry.

(Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

    Ban also left open the possibility of a meeting between Koizumi and South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum next month in his country, the ministry said.

    Koizumi paid his 5th Yasukuni visit last Monday. Since taking office in April 2001, Koizumi has visited the Tokyo-based shrine once a year.

    Asian countries, particularly South Korea and China, which suffered under Japanese military aggression before and during World War II, have strongly protested Koizumi's repeatedly visits to the notorious shrine which honors 14 Class-A war criminals responsible for the aggression.

    Later in the day, Koizumi said at a press conference that "various countries have their own perspective on how to pay tribute to the war dead. They need to understand that I am visiting the shrine to mourn the war dead and pledge that Japan shall never wage war again."

    Referring to South Korea's call for a new war memorial in place of the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, Koizumi said there are various public opinions on the issue and the government will study the matter by assessing such opinions. Enditem