Japanese minister visits shrine to war dead, angering China, South Korea

What the report says

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Saturday, drawing criticism from China and South Korea. The timing was significant: the visit came on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, a date that remains highly sensitive across the region.

According to Al Jazeera, Yasukuni honours Japan’s war dead, including convicted wartime leaders and others judged guilty by postwar Allied tribunals. China and South Korea have long argued that visits by Japanese officials signal an unwillingness to fully confront wartime abuses committed by Imperial Japan in Asia.

Koizumi, who has previously been a regular visitor to the shrine, did not answer reporters’ questions as he left. He later said on Instagram that he was there to pay respect to those who died for Japan and to reaffirm a commitment to peace. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not attend, though local media reported that she sent an offering.

China’s foreign ministry said it strongly condemned both the minister’s visit and the prime minister’s offering, while South Korea described the actions as deeply regrettable and urged Japanese leaders to show humble reflection. The episode underscores how Yasukuni remains a recurring source of diplomatic friction in Northeast Asia.