Yasukuni Shrine: A Source of Regional Tension

A view of the Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo, Japan. /VCG

Japan has tens of thousands of Shinto shrines of all sizes, but Yasukuni Shrine has long been highly controversial.

Honoring around 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals convicted by the International Military Tribunal for the Far east, Yasukuni Shrine – located in central Tokyo – has drawn strong condemnation from neighboring countries.

In recent years, visits to Yasukuni Shrine by some Japanese leaders have not only worsened Japan’s relations with it’s neighbors but also deeply hurt the feelings of peopel in those countries. The current Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, visited Yasukuni Shrine many times before taking office.

Facing outrage from the victims of Japan’s wartime aggression, Japanese politicians often downplay the controversy, claiming, “Yasukuni Shrine is merely a shinto site for honoring and consoling the spirits of the dead.” Yet the highly revered site is filled with symbols closely tied to militarism and war.