Protesters in Hong Kong Wednesday gathered to vent their anger over the visit of Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the Yasukuni shrine for the nation's war dead.

At least 30 people called for an end to the Japanese military expansion through a revival of militarism which was threatening peace in the Asian region, and they set up to seek compensation for residents forced to convert Hong Kong currency into Japanese military notes during the Japanese occupation in World War II.

They also lodged a protest over Japan's controversial use of history schoolbooks that are accused of glossing over the country' s wartime atrocities and demanded Japan to apologize for its war crimes.

On Tuesday, protesters burned the Japanese wartime flag after dragging it along the ground on their way to the Japanese consulate to protest against Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni shrine on Monday.

(people.com.cn 08/16/2001)