Japan Defence Minister Visits Controversial Yasukuni Shrine, Drawing China and South Korea Rebukes

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has visited Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine, a move that has again stirred tensions with China and South Korea over Japan’s wartime history.

Koizumi made the visit on Saturday, August 15, as Japan marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II.

Yasukuni Shrine honours about 2.5 million people who died in wars involving Japan. However, its inclusion of 14 Class-A war criminals convicted after World War II has made it a deeply sensitive issue for countries that suffered under Japanese military occupation and aggression.

China and South Korea have repeatedly criticised visits to the shrine by senior Japanese officials, arguing that such visits can be interpreted as an attempt to glorify Japan’s militaristic past and undermine efforts at historical reconciliation.

China lodged a strong protest over the latest visits, while South Korean lawmakers also expressed regret, with politicians from both the ruling and opposition camps criticising the move.

Koizumi’s visit is particularly notable because he currently heads Japan’s Defence Ministry at a time when the government is pursuing stronger military capabilities and expanding its defence role.

The minister did not make public comments about his visit and reportedly walked past journalists at the shrine.

The visit came as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stayed away from Yasukuni in an apparent effort to avoid further diplomatic friction with Japan’s neighbours. Instead, Takaichi sent a ritual offering to the shrine in her capacity as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Takaichi also attended Japan’s official memorial service for the war dead but, in her address, stopped short of explicitly expressing remorse for Japan’s wartime actions in Asia. She said Japan would not allow the tragedy of war to be repeated and highlighted the country’s post-war contribution to global peace.

Koizumi has previously visited Yasukuni, including last year when he was serving as agriculture minister. His father, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, also caused diplomatic controversy with repeated visits to the shrine while serving as prime minister.

The latest visit highlights the continuing difficulty Japan faces in balancing domestic remembrance of its war dead with diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, where memories of Japan’s wartime occupation remain highly sensitive.