Japan's Yasukuni Shrine Visits Spark China and South Korea Protests

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and several cabinet members, including Kimi Onoda and Hitoshi Kikawada, visited the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, 2026, to mark the 81st anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi avoided a personal visit to prioritize diplomatic ties with China and South Korea, but she sent ritual cash offerings through Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki and performed remote worship. The shrine is highly controversial because it honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals.

In a separate address at Nippon Budokan, Takaichi mourned war victims and stated that Japan has "consistently contributed to global peace and prosperity," but she did not apologize for wartime atrocities. This contrasted with Emperor Naruhito, who expressed "deep remorse" for the ravages of war. The visits coincided with a broader shift in Japan's security policy, including a requested record-high defense budget of 8.9 trillion yen and the deployment of long-range missiles.

The Government of China lodged formal protests, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accusing Japanese politicians of attempting to "cover up Japan's war crimes" and accelerate militarization. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "deep regret," calling the acts "anachronistic." While South Korean President Lee Jae Myung emphasized that bilateral cooperation is "now more important than ever," he noted the need to acknowledge those still suffering from the "shadows of history."