Japan’s Takaichi sends offering to Yasukuni on WWII anniversary, Koizumi visits shrine

On the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II, Japan's Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a site that honors convicted war criminals. While Takaichi, a conservative, is expected to avoid a personal visit, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the shrine, marking the first confirmed visit by a sitting defense minister on the anniversary since August 2024. Another cabinet member, Hitoshi Kikawada, also visited the shrine. These actions by Japanese officials to the Yasukuni Shrine have historically drawn criticism from China and South Korea due to Japan's wartime aggression.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday. This shrine is viewed by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism and commemorates World War II criminals. Visits by Japanese politicians to the shrine have drawn criticism from these neighboring countries, who interpret them as a lack of remorse for wartime atrocities. Koizumi has frequently visited the shrine, including for annual observances of Japan's war end anniversary on August 15. In contrast, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to avoid the shrine to prioritize diplomatic relations with neighboring nations.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Tuesday. The shrine honors 2.5 million war dead, including convicted war criminals, from conflicts since the late 19th century. While Takaichi sent an offering, she did not visit the shrine in person. The Yasukuni shrine is a controversial site that has historically angered neighboring countries, particularly South Korea. South Korea expressed "regret" over the offering due to the shrine's association with Japan's wartime past.