Japanese minister visits war shrine, provoking reactions from China and South Korea

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, the 81st anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender, honoring the 2.5 million war dead, including war criminals. The visit drew strong condemnation from China and South Korea, which criticized it as a failure to confront historical atrocities. While Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not attend, she sent an offering, continuing the contentious legacy of visits by Japanese officials.

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