Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates some two and a half million mostly Japanese soldiers and civilians killed in World War II, is one of the country’s most revered sites, visited by millions every year. But the shrine, which also honours 14 convicted war criminals, is seen as a symbol of Japan’s colonial-era atrocities in Asia. The visit to the shrine by Japanese officials, including Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, has provoked criticism from China and South Korea – who view the shrine as symbolic of Tokyo’s failure to atone for the atrocities its forces committed.
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, also a regular visitor before becoming leader in October, did not join other officials. Local media reported that she instead paid tribute from a short distance away and sent an offering to the shrine, as previous prime ministers have done. So what is the shrine’s history and why is it controversial?
The Yasukuni Shrine, or Yasukuni Jinja, was established in 1869 under Emperor Meiji’s rule to enshrine the souls of fighters who died during the country’s wars. According to the shrine’s website, “Yasukuni” means to preserve peace in Japanese and when Emperor Meiji visited the shrine for the first time in January 1874, he composed a poem: “I assure those of you who fought and died for your country that your names will live forever at this shrine in Musashino”. Around 2.5 million people, including Japanese war criminals who fought in wars with China’s Qing Dynasty, other Asian countries and the Soviet Union during the Second World War are enshrined at Yasukuni.
During annual war anniversaries in Japan, politicians join citizens in visiting the shrine to pay tribute to the war dead. Millions visit each year. An imperial emissary from the royal family also visits during the shrine’s spring and autumn festivals.
In the past, many Japanese prime ministers have also visited. Yasuhiro Nakasone was the first, paying his respects in 1985. Junichiro Koizumi, who was prime minister from 2001 until 2006 visited frequently.
But Shinzo Abe was the last serving prime minister to visit in December 2013, which caused an expression of disappointment from the administration of then-US President Barack Obama. According to the Japan Times, Prime Minister Takaichi did not visit the shrine on Saturday but was not far away. She stepped out of her car in a car park about 200 metres from the shrine.
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