Japan's Defense Minister Calls News Report on South Korea's Backlash Over Yasukuni Visit 'Incomprehensible'

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has sparked controversy by posting a harsh criticism on social media, calling a domestic media report that criticized his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine "incomprehensible."

On August 15, Defense Minister Koizumi shared a Kyodo News article titled "Defense Ministry Officials on Alert Over South Korea's Reaction" on X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, "It is incomprehensible why the Japanese media transmits such articles using photos provided by a foreign government."

His criticism targeted the fact that the photo featured in the article was provided by the South Korean government, alongside the contents of the report.

Referring to the headline, he wrote, "Both the photo and the headline are astounding."

In the report, Kyodo News delivered the news of Defense Minister Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, stating, "Concerns are rising over the impact on defense cooperation between South Korea and Japan.

The Defense Minister himself has focused on developing relations, and Defense Ministry officials are on alert regarding South Korea's response."

Defense Minister Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, which is South Korea's Liberation Day and Japan's WWII surrender anniversary. The shrine is a symbol of Japanese militarism that honors Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War, including wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo.

His visit marked the first time a sitting defense minister visited the Yasukuni Shrine on Japan's war defeat anniversary in two years, following then-Defense Minister Minoru Kihara in 2024.

Viewing the Defense Minister's pilgrimage to the Yasukuni Shrine with grave concern, the South Korean government summoned Takeshi Nagayoshi, Japan's defense attaché to South Korea, to the Ministry of National Defense headquarters on the same day to lodge a protest, with Kim Hak-jo, Director-General for International Policy at the Ministry, handling the summons.

Defense Minister Koizumi's post on X protesting the Kyodo News article drew criticism, with opponents arguing it constitutes excessive pressure on the media and is an inappropriate behavior for a politician.

Ichiro Ozawa, a heavyweight opposition politician and former lawmaker of the centrist-reformist alliance, posted on X, "It is bizarre for a defense minister to criticize an article about himself on the day of the war's end and exert blatant pressure on the media." He strongly criticized him, saying, "He understands nothing about politics. He needs to start from scratch and learn all over again."

Shinjiro Koizumi, a 45-year-old young politician, is also the second son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Although he finished second to incumbent Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election last October to determine Japan's prime minister, he remains widely regarded as a leading contender for the next premiership.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.