"It is important to accept each other's differences and respect each other's position," Koizumi told reporters, adding he believed his position had been adequately conveyed to the South Korean leader.

The comments came after Roh urged Japan's leaders Monday to refrain from invoking the anger of their Asian neighbors in a speech on the anniversary of a bloody uprising in 1919 against Japan's colonial rule.

"A national leader should not behave like reckless members of the public or politicians who are driven to gain popularity," Roh said in unscripted remarks.

The comments were seen as Roh's strongest criticism yet of Koizumi's annual pilgrimages to the Yasukuni Shrine which honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals.

Since taking office in 2001, Koizumi has made four visits to the shrine, sparking condemnation from the two Koreas, China and other Asian countries.

Koizumi said Friday he would keep up his annual visits after a court in Osaka threw out a lawsuit seeking to end them.

The premier said after the ruling he "never understood" what the plaintiffs -- 631 monks, priests, relatives of war dead, South Korean nationals and others -- were complaining about.

WAR.WIRE