Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stayed away from Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday as Japan marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stayed away from Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday as Japan marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II.
The decision appeared aimed at avoiding further tensions with China and South Korea, both of which strongly oppose visits by senior Japanese leaders to the shrine.
Takaichi, who had been a regular visitor to Yasukuni before becoming prime minister, had faced speculation over whether she would visit the site on the August 15 anniversary.
Her absence was notable, particularly because her political mentor, former prime minister Shinzo Abe, visited the shrine in 2013, triggering strong criticism from China and South Korea and a rare rebuke from the United States.
Instead, Takaichi reportedly sent an offering to the shrine, as Japanese prime ministers have done in the past. China, however, strongly condemned both the offering and the visit by Japan’s defence minister, saying it had lodged protests with Tokyo.
Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, meanwhile, visited Yasukuni and paid his respects to Japan’s war dead. He later said he had offered condolences to those who had “sacrificed their precious lives for the nation” and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to its postwar path as a peaceful country.
More from WorldWhy Yasukuni remains controversial
Yasukuni Shrine is dedicated to about 2.5 million Japanese war dead. However, its inclusion of senior wartime figures convicted of war crimes makes it highly controversial in countries that suffered under Imperial Japan’s military campaigns during the 1930s and 1940s.
China and South Korea view visits by Japanese political leaders as a symbol that Japan has not fully acknowledged or atoned for its wartime actions.
The shrine has therefore remained one of the most sensitive issues in Japan’s relations with its Asian neighbours.
Shinjiro Koizumi’s visit was his first to Yasukuni as defence minister. His father, former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi, was the last sitting Japanese prime minister to visit the shrine on August 15, doing so in 2006.
China warns against Japan’s military expansion
Takaichi’s decision to stay away comes at a particularly sensitive time in Japan-China relations.
Before becoming prime minister, she was known for taking a tough position on China. In November, she suggested that Japan could potentially intervene militarily in a conflict involving Taiwan, drawing strong criticism from Beijing.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to take control of the self-ruled island. Beijing has since taken several measures against Japan, including warnings to Chinese citizens about travel to the country and trade restrictions.
Japan has also been expanding its military capabilities as it moves further away from the strict pacifist policy adopted after World War II.
A day before the anniversary, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Chen Xi accused Japan of dangerous “remilitarisation” and urged Tokyo to reflect on its wartime actions and respect the postwar international order.
The issue also comes amid a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Kuril Islands earlier this week, prompting a protest from Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Yasukuni Shrine had asked visitors not to wear military-style uniforms during the anniversary, saying the move was intended to allow people to worship peacefully.