This Sunday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's recent ritual during the spring festival at the Yasukuni Shrine sparked diplomatic tensions in East Asia.
The shrine enshrines Japan's war dead, including war criminals during World War II, and has long been a source of dispute with its neighbors.
According to British media on April 21, Prime Minister Kishida sent a sacrificial tree (called "Masataka"), and Minister of Economic Revitalization Yoshitaka Shinto visited the shrine. "I pay tribute to the spirit of those who work for the country wholeheartedly," he told reporters. ”
However, the move sparked criticism from South Korea.
South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was "deeply disappointed and regretful at Kishida's sacrifice and the minister's visit," stressing that the Yasukuni Shrine glorifies Japan's past militarism and enshrines those responsible for wartime atrocities.
The historical significance of the shrine is controversial. In 1978, it added 14 Class-A war criminals, including wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, to its list of enshrined gods. Hideki Tojo and others were convicted of war crimes and executed after the war. Such acts at shrines have been one of the reasons for tensions between Japan and its neighbors.
Although Prime Minister Kishida is known for his moderate stance within the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, he has avoided visiting the Yasukuni Shrine in person since he took office in 2021. Still, his symbolic act of sending the sacrifice caused a strong reaction.
Japan's wartime history has cast a long shadow over relations in the region. Japan's invasion and occupation of large swathes of China during World War II, as well as its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, still deeply affect these countries today.
Recent geopolitical developments have further heightened tensions. China's assertive displays in the region, particularly its military activities, have heightened tensions in Sino-Japanese relations. Similarly, Tokyo's decision to discharge the treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea has sparked concern and criticism from neighboring countries.
By contrast, since Yoon Suk-yeol came to power in 2022, Japan's relations with South Korea have shown signs of improvement. However, long-standing problems, such as wartime workers' compensation disputes, persist, complicating efforts to normalize relations completely.
Japan's leaders have tried to respond to these diplomatic challenges in a cautious manner. The most recent prime minister chose to pay tribute at the Yasukuni Shrine Spring and Autumn Festival and the 1945 anniversary of Japan's surrender. The approach is aimed at avoiding further escalation of tensions with China, South Korea and other Asian neighbors.