Lawmakers Pray at Controversial Shrine

Nearly 200 Japanese lawmakers and aides prayed at a shrine honoring the nation's war dead the day after a visit by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi triggered protests from China and South Korea, which say the shrine glorifies Japan's past militarism.

The group, including leaders of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and a handful of opposition legislators, visited Yasukuni Shrine to pay their respects, said Yoko Tokoro, an official there.

Those honored at the Shinto shrine include convicted war criminals. The shrine also has a museum that attempts to justify Japan's wartime aggression.