In a nod to the emotive nature of the Aug. 15 date, Koizumi was expected to refrain from visiting Yasukuni shrine, where convicted war criminals are honoured with Japan's 2.5 million war dead. Koizumi has made annual visits to the shrine since taking office in 2001, but never on the anniversary of the war's end.
"On the 60th anniversary of the end of the war, I affirm that the peace and prosperity with which we are blessed today is built on the sacrifices of the many who lost their lives in the war against their will," Koizumi said in a statement.
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