▲ The Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines Pacific War criminals
The South Korean government criticized Japanese political figures for making ritual offerings and visiting the Yasukuni Shrine today (August 15).
In particular, the government summoned a Japanese official to lodge a strong protest against Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, marking the first time a sitting defense minister has done so in two years.
In a spokesperson's commentary issued today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "The government cannot hide its regret over the anachronistic and history-forgetting acts by Japan's responsible leadership figures, who have once again made ritual offerings and repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's past war of aggression and enshrines war criminals."
The ministry added, "The government strongly urges Japan's responsible leaders to face history squarely and demonstrate humble introspection and genuine remorse for their past history through actions, emphasizing that this is an essential foundation for building a future-oriented South Korea-Japan relationship based on mutual trust."
Kim Hak-jo, Director-General for International Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, summoned Takeshi Nagayoshi, Japan's defense attaché to South Korea, to the ministry building today to lodge a strong protest against Defense Minister Koizumi's decision to push ahead with the Yasukuni Shrine visit, according to the ministry.
Director-General Kim expressed deep regret, stating that it is deplorable for Japan's defense minister to proceed with a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies past colonial invasions and wars of aggression while enshrining war criminals.
He also expressed serious concern, noting that the act directly counters the efforts of both South Korea and Japan to build a trust-based, future-oriented relationship while facing history squarely.
Today, which marks South Korea's Liberation Day and Japan's wartime surrender anniversary, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi offered ritual money to the Yasukuni Shrine using her own personal funds.
She did so in her capacity as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party rather than as prime minister.
Four sitting cabinet ministers—Defense Minister Koizumi, Minister for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs Hitoshi Kikawada, Minister for Economic Security Kimi Onoda, and Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Minoru Kiuchi—visited the Yasukuni Shrine.
The visit by a sitting defense minister on Japan's war defeat anniversary comes two years after then-Defense Minister Minoru Kihara did so in 2024.
The South Korean government has viewed a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine—which enshrines Class A war criminals—by the sitting defense minister, who holds responsibility for Japan's defense, with greater gravity than visits by other cabinet members.
In addition, members of the bipartisan parliamentary group "Cross-Bench Association of Diet Members Visiting the Yasukuni Shrine Together" and the Liberal Democratic Party's "Group for Conservative Unity" also visited the shrine this morning.
Sohei Kamiya, leader of the right-wing Sanseito party, and Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the Conservative Party of Japan, also visited the Yasukuni Shrine.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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