The official ceremony, attended by some 6,200 people including veterans, relatives of war dead, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, began at Tokyo's Budokan hall with the singing of the national anthem, "Kimigayo" ("Thy Reign").

After bowing before a cenotaph dedicated to some 3.1 million war victims, Koizumi, dressed in a black morning coat and tails, renewed a pledge renouncing war and expressed remorse for Japan's aggression against its Asian neighbours.

"We look back humbly on the past and firmly maintain our promise to renounce war," he said.

"Our country above all inflicted great pain and damage on our neighbouring countries in Asia," Koizumi said.

"We will put all our efforts to building friendly relations with all nations and contribute to everlasting peace as a member of the international community," he said.

The pledge came as Japan prepares to send troops to Iraq this fall to help with reconstruction and humanitarian efforts -- the first deployment since the war to a country where fighting is ongoing.

Emperor Akihito later led a minute's silence while bowing before the wooden monument, which was flanked by a huge display of white and gold chrysanthemums.

"I earnestly hope that the disaster of war will never be repeated," the emperor said. "With all the people of Japan, I mourn for those fallen in war and those scattered by the battlefields. I pray for world peace and the development of our nation."

Earlier Koizumi laid flowers at the Chidorigafuchi cemetery for some 350,000 unknown soldiers in Tokyo and, in line with a previous pledge, stayed away from the Yasukuni Shinto shrine to Japan's war dead, to which visits by Japanese leaders invariably prompt protests from elsewhere in Asia.

Koizumi made his third trip since becoming premier to Yasukuni in a surprise visit in January, drawing harsh criticism from South and North Korea, and said he would not visit on the sensitive anniversary.

The shrine is widely seen as a symbol of Japan's former militarism, particularly since 1978 when it enshrined 14 convicted Class-A war criminals including wartime prime minister General Hideki Tojo.

However, four cabinet ministers, including trade minister Takeo Hiranuma, and farm minister Yoshiyuki Kamei, visited the shrine in driving rain.

In all, more than 50 members of parliament, as well as Tokyo's avowedly nationalist governor Shintaro Ishihara, visited the shrine Friday, according to media reports.

Commenting on overseas criticism of shrine visits, the outspoken Ishihara was quoted by Jiji Press as telling reporters: "That's rude and superfluous beyond interference in domestic affairs. Foreigners like Sinos (Chinese) and Koreans should not bitch about it."

"I don't say all, but for most Japanese, the shrine is a symbol of our spiritual culture," Ishihara said.

Right-wingers, mostly young men, were seen roaming the shrine precincts, carrying rising-sun flags, while one group paraded in black uniforms.

About 800 veterans, students and other people braved the torrential rain to take part in a ceremony at the shrine.

"I come to the Yasukuni Shrine every year to show my respect to the emperor," an 81-year-old special forces veteran who only gave his family name, Seisho, told AFP.

Asked what he thought of the young rightists, he shrugged: "Well, there are bad persons everywhere," then added: "It's important that young people come to this shrine so as not to forget what happened during the war".

WAR.WIRE