TOKYO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Japan-China Friendship Association said on Tuesday that it strongly protested against Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15.

    In a statement sent to Xinhua, the general director of the association, Kyuhei Muraoka, said that they felt "indignant" over Koizumi's sixth visit to the shrine, where 14 top war criminals were honored, especially at a time when most Japanese were urging Koizumi to refrain from such visits.

    Koizumi, in total disregard of international criticism, paid his sixth visit to the Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday morning, the very day that marked the 61st anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II.

    The statement said most countries hope that Japan and China can be on friendly terms whereas Koizumi's action is against such wishes. Koizumi is responsible for the suspension of summit talks with East Asian leaders and the wreck of mutual trust with neighboring nations, which has been enhanced by previous premiers.

    The association called on the next cabinet and new prime minister, who was expected to assume the post in September, not to follow Koizumi's path.

    The Yasukuni Shrine honors 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including about 1,000 convicted war criminals from World War II, 14 of whom were wartime leaders, convicted by an Allied tribunal as "Class A" war criminals.

    The war dead, including war criminals, honored at the shrine were responsible for the most atrocious crimes during Japan's war of aggression against its Asian neighbors.

    Koizumi's visits to the shrine have been denounced by countries which suffered Japan's war of aggression before and during World War II. His previous visits have chilled Japan's relations with neighboring China and South Korea. Enditem