On Liberation Day, August 15, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed strong regret over some prominent politicians offering tribute and visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement from its Spokesperson that noted, "The government expresses deep disappointment and regret over the fact that responsible Japanese leaders have once again offered tributes or visited YAS Shrine, which glorifies Japan's past invasion wars and enshrines war criminals."
He emphasized, "We urge responsible Japanese leaders to face history and to show sincere reflection and genuine remorse about the past through action, which is an important foundation for building a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship based on trust between the two countries."
On this day, current ministers and prominent candidates for the next prime minister, including Shinjiro Koizumi, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and former Minister of Economic Security Sanae Takaiichi, former Minister of Economic Security Takayuki Kobayashi, and former Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chairman Koichi Hagiuda, visited YAS Shrine. This is the first confirmation of a current minister's visit since the formation of the Ishiba Cabinet last October.
Prime Minister Ishiba offered tributes instead of visiting the shrine. Since taking office, he has followed the practice of not visiting the shrine directly, like former Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Yoshihide Suga, and instead opting to make offerings or tribute payments.
YAS Shrine is a facility that commemorates more than 2.46 million people who died in the civil wars before and after the Meiji Restoration and in wars initiated by Japan, with nearly 90% of them, about 2.13 million, being related to the Pacific War. The shrine also enshrines Class A war criminals, including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo.