TOKYO - Japan's finance minister criticized Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Wednesday for damaging Tokyo's ties with its Asian neighbors by visiting a war shrine, and said repairing the relations would be his urgent task if he takes over the top post in September.

Sadakazu Tanigaki announced his candidacy last month to replace Koizumi as party president in a September election. The party's president is virtually certain to become prime minister because it controls Parliament.

Koizumi's pilgrimages to Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan's 2.5 million war dead, including executed war criminals, have angered China, South Korea and other Asian victims of Japan's wartime aggression. China and South Korea have refused to hold summit meetings with Japan.

Tanigaki repeated his earlier promise not to visit the shrine if he becomes prime minister.

"Yasukuni is a major obstacle in the development of ties with Asian nations," Tanigaki said. "The next prime minister should not damage Japan's ties with Asia or weaken its leadership in the region by visiting the shrine."

In recent public polls, Tanigaki has lagged far behind Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the front-runner in the race, and just above another contender, Foreign Minister Taro Aso, who officially announced his candidacy on Monday. Abe is expected to officially enter the race early next month.