KYOTO, Japan - The Japan Buddhist Federation on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to cancel his Aug. 15 visit to Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine, federation officials said.
In a letter sent to the premier via the headquarters of his Liberal Democratic Party, the federation said paying an official visit to Yasukuni, a religious site, violates the Constitution's guarantee of freedom of religion and the separation of the state and religion.
The federation said the state should not honor the war dead enshrined at Yasukuni as it would be involving itself in one particular religion. Yasukuni is a Shinto shrine.
It honors about 2.5 million war dead as well as seven hanged war criminals, including wartime Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo.
Koizumi's pledge to visit Yasukuni has sparked strong criticism from China and South Korea, which Japan had occupied in whole or in part before and during World War II.
AP-NY-07-11-01 0541EDT
Copyright 2001 The Kyodo News Service.