Koizumi’s Yasukuni visit stirs regional backlash on WWII anniversary
Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender, drawing protests from China and South Korea who condemned the move as a failure to fully confront the past. Koizumi said the trip was to offer condolences and reaffirm Japan’s peaceful postwar path. The shrine commemorates about 2.5 million war dead, including convicted war criminals, a point critics say highlights unatoned history. PM candidate Sanae Takaichi did not attend but reportedly sent an offering; the last PM visit was in 2013 and the last defence minister visit in 2024.