Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has confirmed our doubts about his apology over his country's previous colonial rule and aggression. 

On May 16, he told a Japanese Diet session that he would decide when to visit Yasukuni Shrine "in an appropriate manner." He also urged other parts of Asia "not to interfere" with Japan's internal affairs by denouncing his Yasukuni visits.

Koizumi announced his resolve over the upcoming visit to Yasukuni one day before Vice Premier Wu Yi began her tour to his country for opportunities to amend bilateral relations.

Koizumi's announcement reminds us of his utterances of "heartfelt" remorse to Asian nations that suffered during Japan's colonization and wartime aggression.

Koizumi told the Asia-Africa Summit in Jarkata, Indonesia, on April 22 that his country "squarely faces the facts of history in a spirit of humility."

Koizumi's humble spirit is beyond our grasp.

The Yasukuni Shrine is dedicated to 2.5 million Japanese who died in the country's wars, including 14 top war criminals from World War II.

What does this apology mean to Koizumi? By continuing to pay homage to war criminals, Koizumi deprives himself of respect from neighboring countries.

While warning other countries against interfering with his Yasukuni visits, Koizumi knows well what these visits mean. But he is still determined to go, and his country's deteriorating relationships with neighboring countries do not stop him.

Is this his humility? Is this his way of honoring his apology to us, and soul-searching over "the tremendous damage and suffering of the Asian people," caused by Japan.

We cannot understand the political pressure on Koizumi, who has made his Yasukuni visits an important part of his political career.

What we have learnt is that a decent person honors his or her words.

As a leader of a nation, Koizumi is expected to mean what he says. Otherwise, his words are meaningless and can scare off people who want to negotiate for a turnaround of bilateral relations.

Koizumi has visited the shrine every year since taking office in 2001, with the last pilgrimage on January 1, 2004. Such annual calls at Yasukuni have put mutual visits of top government leaders between China and Japan on hold.

Japanese leaders are fully aware of the nature of the thorn in the side of China-Japan relations. An empty apology cannot blow away the clouds that are hanging over bilateral relations.

Koizumi has been uttering words of remorse for his country's wartime crimes, all outside his country, in China and Indonesia.

Still, he has gone against his words time and time again.

Koizumi has had an earful from us. That should be enough for him to learn from his mistakes.

(China Daily May 25, 2005)