Backgrounder: Chronology of Koizumi administration in Japan

    TOKYO, Oct. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- The following is the chronology of the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi:     

    2001:

    April 24 -- Koizumi is elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party.

    April 26 -- Koizumi forms his first cabinet.

    July 29 -- The LDP claims landslide victory in the House of Councilors election by winning 64 seats.

    Aug. 13 -- Koizumi visits war-related Yasukuni Shrine for the first time as prime minister.     

    2002:

    April 21 -- Koizumi pays second visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

    Sept. 17 -- Koizumi visits the Democratic People's Republic ofKorea and signs the Pyongyang Declaration with the DPRK leader KimJong Il

    Sept. 30 -- Koizumi reshuffles his cabinet.     

    2003:

    Jan. 14 -- Koizumi pays third visit to Yasukuni.

    June 6 -- The parliament enacts contingency laws.

    July 26 -- The parliament enacts law on special measures to aid Iraqi reconstruction.

    Sept. 20 -- Koizumi is reelected as LDP president.

    Sept. 22 -- Koizumi launches reshuffled Cabinet.

    Nov. 9 -- The LDP and its coalition ally New Komeito party winstable majority in the House of Representatives election.

    Nov. 19 -- Koizumi launches new cabinet while reappointing allministers.

    Dec. 9 -- The cabinet decides to send Self-Defense Forces troops to Iraq.     

    2004:

    Jan. 1 -- Koizumi pays fourth visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

    May 7 -- Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda resigns over pension scandal.

    May 22 -- Koizumi revisits Pyongyang.

    Sept. 27 -- Koizumi launches reshuffled new cabinet.

    Dec. 9 -- The cabinet decides to extend SDF mission in Iraq another year.

    Dec. 10 -- The cabinet decides on new basic defense program, moderates parts of three arms export principles.     

    2005:

    Aug. 8 -- Koizumi dissolves the lower house after upper house rejects postal privatization bills.

    Sept. 11 -- The LDP claims landslide victory in the general election.

    Oct. 17 -- Koizumi visits the Yasukuni Shrine for the fifth time.

    Oct. 31 -- Koizumi reshuffles cabinet. Enditem