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Lee Teng-hui to visit controversial shrine in Japan

Former president Lee Teng-hui, center, is welcomed by well-wishers upon his arrival at Narita International Airport in Narita, Chiba Preferture, Japan, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday said he would like to visit the Yasukuni shrine, a controversial memorial to war dead where his elder brother is enshrined.

Lee's elder brother served in the Japanese navy and died while on duty in February 1945 in the Philippines.

"I have not yet decided on the timing, but since I am here, I think that I should go see my brother," Lee told reporters on his arrival at Narita airport near Tokyo.

"I will meet my brother for the first time in 60 years," Lee said.

Lee, accompanied by his wife Tseng Wen-hui (曾文惠), left for Japan yesterday for a 10-day visit.

Speaking to Japanese reporters on the flight from Taipei, the 84-year-old former leader said he wanted to pray at the Yasukuni shrine because he did not know how much longer he would live.

The Yasukuni shrine honors 2.5 million war dead, including colonial subjects who fought for Japan. Visits to the shrine by Japanese leaders have long been a subject of dispute with China and South Korea which view the shrine as a symbol of Japan's militarist past. Most controversially, the Shinto shrine lists the names of 14 top war criminals from World War II.

"I will meet my brother for the first time in 60 years."

Lee Teng-hui, former president

Based on the itinerary released by Lee's office, the former president will spend the first three days visiting Tokyo, culminating in a ceremony wherein he will be presented with the first Shinpei Goto Prize by Tokyo's Shinpei Goto Society tomorrow.

The prize was established to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the late Japanese colonial administrator Shinpei Goto and is awarded to people who have contributed to national or regional development.

From Saturday to Tuesday, Lee will make an "oku no hosomichi" tour covering the prefectures of Miyagi, Yamagata, Iwate, Akita and Gunma, retracing a journey made by the Japanese poet Basho in 1689 on which his famous work Oku no Hosomichi, or The Narrow Road to Oku was written.

Lee is scheduled to visit Akita International University next Wednesday, where he will give a speech on Japanese education and hold a seminar with Taiwanese students. He will also visit Takushoku University in Tokyo to discuss the global outlook this year. He will wrap up his visit next Saturday.
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