Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has visited Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine as the country marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War Two, drawing fresh anger from China and South Korea.
Koizumi, wearing a dark suit and tie, visited the shrine on Saturday, according to images carried by Japanese media. Economic Security Minister Kimi Onoda also visited, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who visited Yasukuni several times before becoming prime minister last October, sent a ritual offering to the shrine instead, Kyodo news agency reported.
China’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the actions, saying Beijing had lodged a formal protest with Tokyo over the visits and offerings linked to the shrine.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry also expressed deep regret over the actions of Japanese leaders, describing the visits and offerings as anachronistic.
Seoul called on Japan’s leaders to confront the country’s wartime history and demonstrate sincere remorse through their actions, saying such efforts were essential to building trust and developing future-oriented relations.
Yasukuni Shrine honours about 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including 14 wartime leaders convicted of the most serious war crimes following Japan’s defeat in 1945.
China and South Korea have repeatedly criticised visits by senior Japanese officials to the shrine, arguing that they gloss over Japan’s wartime aggression and strain diplomatic relations.
Japanese officials have previously defended such visits as personal acts to honour those who died in Japan’s wars.
The last serving Japanese prime minister to visit Yasukuni Shrine was Shinzo Abe, who made the visit in December 2013. The move drew an expression of disappointment from the administration of then-US President Barack Obama.
Koizumi has previously visited the shrine, including during his tenure as agriculture minister last year. The last serving Japanese prime minister to visit Yasukuni on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender was his father, Junichiro Koizumi, who made the visit in 2006.
Goodness Anunobi
Follow us on:
