The Japanese Prime Minister offered sacrifices to the Yasukuni Shrine, China and South Korea condemned Japan’s negative actions
[Global Times reporter Cheng Kai]”Japan’s negative move once once more reflects its wrong attitude towards its own history of aggression. China firmly opposes and severely condemns it, and has made solemn representations.” The offerings, and the fact that some members of Congress went to visit the shrine were severely condemned by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular press conference on the same day.
“Nihon Keizai Shimbun” said on the 21st that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in the name of “Prime Minister”, offered sacrifices called “Masakaki” to the Yasukuni Shrine, which is dedicated to Class A war criminals of World War II. Kishida’s move is aimed at cooperating with the regular spring festival held at the Yasukuni Shrine from the 21st to the 22nd of this month. It is worth noting that in addition to Kishida, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and others visited the Yasukuni Shrine that day.
According to Japanese media reports, Fumio Kishida did not enshrine “Masaki” at the Yasukuni Shrine before he became prime minister, but since he became prime minister in October last year, Kishida followed the example of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before the autumn festival at the Yasukuni Shrine last year. Following the practice of former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, he dedicated “Masakaki” to the Yasukuni Shrine. Kishida offered sacrifices once more this time, which is a continuation of last year. It is said that Kishida will not visit the Yasukuni Shrine during the regular festival this spring. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroichi Matsuno said at a press conference on the 21st that Prime Minister Kishida’s worship of “Masakaki” is his personal behavior and does not represent the attitude of the Japanese government.
According to a report on the website of Japan’s NHK TV station on the 21st, Shigeryuki Goto, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of the Kishida Cabinet, also enshrined “Masaki” at the Yasukuni Shrine on the same day. In addition, Takaichi Sanae, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s political investigation, and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine successively on the 21st. In an interview on the same day, Abe claimed that the visit was “to show respect to the heroic spirits who sacrificed their lives to protect the country”. According to the Asahi Shimbun, the Japanese bipartisan congressional group “Everyone Visits the Yasukuni Shrine together” plans to pay homage to the Yasukuni Shrine on the 22nd.
Regarding the negative actions of Japanese politicians on the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine, the South Korean Foreign Ministry stated on the 21st that the South Korean government is deeply disappointed and regretful that the Japanese leadership once once more sacrificed and visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which beautifies the war of aggression and enshrines Class-A war criminals, and urged Japan Fang squarely faces history and reflects on the history of aggression with practical actions.
Wang Wenbin said on the 21st that the Yasukuni Shrine is the spiritual tool and symbol of the Japanese militarism’s war of aggression once morest foreign countries. The Chinese side urges the Japanese side to earnestly abide by its statement and commitment to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, completely cut itself off from militarism, and take concrete actions to win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.