Moreover, Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzu Abe, the front-runner to succeed him, has openly declared that he will continue to visit the shrine as prime minister. Foreign Minister Taro Aso, another possible successor to Koizumi, has called for the Japanese Emperor to pray at Yasukuni.
然而小泉却一意孤行。而且，最有可能接任他的内阁官房长官安倍晋三已经公开宣布他担任首相后将继续参拜靖国神社。另一个可能接替小泉的人，外相麻生太郎呼吁日本天皇去参拜靖国神社。