Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi defended his visits to a Tokyo war shrine seen by critics as a symbol of Japan's past militarism on Thursday, amid speculation he may make his annual pilgrimage on August 15, the anniversary of the nation's surrender World War Two.

Writing in his weekly email magazine, Koizumi criticised opponents of his visits to Yasukuni Shrine.

"The thinking of those in the media and of commentators who criticise me is that I should stop the Yasukuni visits because China is against it," the prime minister said in the email.

Koizumi's visits since taking office in 2001 have been at the heart of Tokyo's worsening relations with Beijing and Seoul as the shrine honours some convicted Japanese World War Two war criminals along with the country's war dead.

Koizumi pledged to visit Yasukuni on August 15 each year as part of his successful campaign to become prime minister five years ago.

But he has so far not visited on that emotive date, leading to speculation that he may do so this year -- his last chance before leaving office in September.

China's ambassador to Japan, Wang Yi, was quoted as telling a forum on Japan-China relations in Tokyo that Beijing did not want to see Koizumi go to Yasukuni again.

"Japan-China ties are not moving forward due to a reason that we all know. We all do not want to see that again," Kyodo news agency quoted Wang as saying.

LEADERSHIP RACE

In the email, Koizumi took a swipe at China for refusing to hold official summit meetings with him in protest at his Yasukuni visits. "I can't understand such thinking," he said, adding that he was ready to meet Chinese leaders at any time.

Koizumi reiterated that he goes to the shrine not to glorify war but to pay his respects to those who sacrificed their lives for the country, and to vow never to wage war again.

Visits to Yasukuni have become a focal point of the race to succeed Koizumi, and attention is also on whether Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the leading candidate, would make such pilgrimages.

Abe has backed Koizumi's visits but not said whether he would do the same if he becomes the prime minister.

One of his rivals, Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, has said he would not make such pilgrimages if elected.

Japanese public opinion is divided on the topic.

"I think we should treat those enshrined here with care, but I don't like politicians using it for their own purposes," said Taeko Nishikawa, 40, a nurse from the western Japanese city of Osaka.