Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi | File Photo: Bloomberg
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi avoided Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine, apparently to prioritise diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, as Japan on Saturday marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II.
However, she did not mention her country's wartime past in Asia or show remorse over it in her address.
The Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates over 2.4 million people who died in wars, became controversial after including 14 convicted Japanese war criminals from World War II. China and South Korea say visits by Japanese officials to the shrine show a lack of remorse over Japan's wartime atrocities.
Takaichi mourned the victims of major devastation in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Okinawa, as well as those who perished in overseas battlefronts, and thanked them for their sacrifice as the "foundation of Japan's peace and prosperity today." "Japan, since the end of the war, has consistently contributed to global peace and prosperity. We will never let the tragedy of the war be repeated," she said in her address at Budokan Hall, a walking distance from Yasukuni.
Takaichi also said Japan can play a key role in addressing global challenges as "a dependable nation" in the region.
Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, three other Cabinet ministers and three executives from Takaichi's governing party showed up at the shrine earlier Saturday. A nonpartisan group of dozens of lawmakers also prayed there.
China's Foreign Ministry protested to Japan over the visits, saying that Japanese politicians' true intentions were to "change the verdict on the war criminals, cover up Japan's war crimes, distort the historical facts and pave the way for accelerating militarisation." It urged Japan to do "serious soul searching" on history and make a clean break with militarism.
Tensions between Japan and China escalated in November when Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute "a survival-threatening situation" for Japan requiring the use of force. The comments enraged Beijing.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in a statement Saturday, said that his administration used "pragmatic diplomacy centred on national interests" and will broaden cooperation in shared interests to resolve common challenges. "Korea-Japan cooperation is now more important than ever." "The new bilateral relationship we are building must warmly illuminate those who are still suffering from pain in the shadows of history," he wrote.
Attention this week was on whether Takaichi, who has repeatedly said she would pray at the shrine on August 15 despite the controversy, would keep her pledge and show up at Yasukuni.
Koizumi has regularly visited the controversial shrine to mark Japan's anniversary of the end of the war on August 15 and other occasions. But as a defence minister pushing to increase Japan's military capability and weapons sales under Takaichi's hawkish government, his visit is seen as more contentious.
The previous shrine visit by a defence minister was in 2024 by Minoru Kihara, the current chief secretary and top government spokesperson for Takaichi's government.
Japan's Defence Ministry prohibits group visits by service members of the Self-Defense Forces, on grounds of constitutional separation of religion and state. Koizumi said in October it is natural for anyone in any country to pay respect for those who sacrificed their lives for their nation.
Koizumi did not comment on the visit and walked past journalists at the shrine on Saturday. He later said on X he paid respects to the war dead for their sacrifice for the country.
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