Posted on 08/15/2026 11:59:08 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The Japanese defense minister on Saturday prayed at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, seen by Japan’s Asian neighbors as a symbol of the country’s past militarism. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, despite repeated past pledges to visit on the day marking Japan’s surrender, has so far stayed away from the shrine to avoid exacerbating diplomatic tensions.
Visits by Japanese politicians to the shrine, which also commemorates World War II war criminals, have been criticized by China and South Korea. They see it as showing a lack of remorse over Japan’s wartime atrocities.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has regularly visited the controversial shrine to mark Japan’s anniversary of the end of the war on Aug. 15 and other occasions. But as a defense minister pushing to increase Japan’s military capability and weapons sales under Takaichi’s hawkish government, his visit Saturday is seen as more contentious.
The previous shrine visit by a defense minister was in 2024 by Minoru Kihara, the current chief secretary and top government spokesperson for Takaichi’s government
(Excerpt) Read more at wishtv.com ...
So it's a pretty regular thing now and not really newsworthy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasukuni_Shrine
Yasukuni Shrine (Japanese: 靖国神社 or 靖國神社, Hepburn: Yasukuni Jinja; lit. ‘Peaceful Country Shrine’) is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, 1894–1895 and 1937–1945 respectively, and the First Indochina War of 1946–1954.[1] The shrine’s purpose has been expanded over the years to include those who died in the wars involving Japan spanning from the entire Meiji and Taishō periods, and the earlier part of the Shōwa period.[2]
The shrine lists the names, origins, birthdates and places of death of 2,466,532 people.[2
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After World War II, the US-led Occupation Authorities (known as GHQ for General Headquarters) issued the Shinto Directive, which ordered the separation of church and state and forced Yasukuni Shrine to become either a secular government institution or a religious institution independent from the Japanese government. Yasukuni Shrine has been privately funded and operated since 1946, when it was elected to become an individual religious corporation, independent of the Association of Shinto Shrines.[19][20]
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The museum and website of the Yasukuni Shrine have made statements criticizing the United States for “convincing” the Empire of Japan to launch the attack on Pearl Harbor in order to justify the Pacific War, as well as claiming that Japan went to war with the intention of creating a “Co-Prosperity Sphere” for all Asians.[23]
In 2026, the shrine banned cosplay and the wearing of military-related attire on its premises, with exemptions for members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and foreign military forces, as part of efforts to maintain the “serenity and dignity” of the site.[24]
Tensions between Japan and China escalated in November when the Japanese leader said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a survival-threatening situation” for Japan requiring the use of force. The comments enraged Beijing.
The Chinese don’t feel Japan was punished enough? Gimme a break. Two nukes and a big loss was enough.
Germany was ‘punished’ after World War I - and our ‘reward’ was Hitler. Is that the kind of ‘prize’ China wants? Maybe.
With the eternal genetic war mentality China shows why their choice of one totalitarian government after another starts makes sense. They have all the sophistication of warring 18 year olds. Keeping boots on the necks of their citizens might be necessary with that mentality. Maybe China’s NOT capable of freedom because they’re hard wired for teen style revenge.
I have a friend who inherited a large Shinto shrine in Japan.
He’s a Christian, as is his wife, now.
It’s a strange world.
**The Chinese don’t feel Japan was punished enough? Two nukes and a big loss was enough.**
The Chinese didn’t drop the nukes-unfinished business still.
**Germany was ‘punished’ after World War I - and our ‘reward’ was Hitler. Is that the kind of ‘prize’ China wants? Maybe.**
That’s why we’re in Asia.
Tensions between Japan and China escalated in November when the Japanese leader said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a survival-threatening situation” for Japan requiring the use of force. The comments enraged Beijing.
Make Taiwan Formosa Again
The Chinese don’t feel Japan was punished enough? Gimme a break. Two nukes and a big loss was enough.
China wanted to do the punishing. That’s why they were upset about the atom bombs. Most likely it saved Japan from being divided, like Korea, and with it, a Korea-like Civil War, with the Chinese invading.
If I were a Japanese Defense Minister and could smell China’s bad breath, I would be praying at a shrine, too.
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