After careful consideration, I thought I could honestly express my genuine feelings by visiting the shrine today in line with the spring peace festival

Junichiro Koizumi

China also reacted strongly against the visit to the Yasukuni shrine, which is a memorial to Japan's war dead but also honours a number of convicted war criminals.

Mr Koizumi's visit to the shrine last year, the first by a serving Japanese prime minister in 16 years, led to a barrage of protests.

That visit was particularly sensitive because it came shortly before the 15 August anniversary of Japan's surrender, which ended World War II.

South Korea, China, and other Asian countries, which suffered under Japan's war-time rule, view the shrine visit as an attempt to glorify Japan's past.

China summoned the Japanese ambassador to Beijing to express its displeasure over the visit, according to the Xinhua news agency.

The Beijing foreign ministry also expressed "strong dissatisfaction" with the action, saying that China "resolutely opposes" all such visits.

Previous visits sparked South Korean protests

And the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: "We are very concerned that the visit is made to remember convicted war criminals who made neighbouring nations undergo deep pain and suffer the ravages of war".

Liberals within Japan itself have also accused Mr Koizumi of trying to stir up nationalist sentiment.

Few Japanese prime ministers have visited the shrine, aware of the sensitivities involved.

Nationalism fears

But Mr Koizumi spoke of peace after he was led through the shrine by a white-clad Shinto priest.

"The meaning of my visit is to express my hope that we will never have another war," he said.

"There is no change in the friendship and promotion of exchanges with China and South Korea. I think I can gain their understanding," Mr Koizumi told reporters.

Fourteen war criminals are among those honoured

A similar visit last year sparked a furious reaction from China and the two Koreas, which suffered from Japanese aggression and imperialism in the first half of the 20th Century.

Relations with China and South Korea were damaged for several months afterwards.

The BBC's Charles Scanlon says that the timing seems to show that Mr Koizumi has accepted that a visit then would be unduly provocative.

Our correspondent says that by going four months early and keeping his visit low-profile, the Japanese prime minister feels he is making a concession to his critics.