Today (15th), the day Japan was defeated in World War II, a powerful politician of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party visited the Yasukuni Shrine where Class A war criminals were enshrined.
NHK reported that Koichi Hagiuda, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Political Affairs Investigation Committee, visited Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo this morning and paid the price for a tamagushi, a kind of private offering.
Hagiuda Koichi is a person who served as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry before moving from the reshuffle on the 10th of this month to the position of chairman of the Party's Political Affairs Investigation Committee.
Former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also visited Yasukuni Shrine this morning.
On the 13th of this month, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, visited Yasukuni Shrine.
This was the first case where it was confirmed that ministers had visited since the Kishida cabinet was established in October of last year.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to dedicate the Tamagu Shrine without visiting the shrine.
Yasukuni Shrine is a facility that cherishes the souls of those who died in wars large and small in modern Japan.
About 2,466,000 people, including 14 Class A war criminals in the Pacific War, including Hideki Tojo (1884-1948), are enshrined.
About 20,000 people from the Korean Peninsula are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine.
Their enlistment was unilateral regardless of the will of the Korean side, including the bereaved family.
Even after liberation, it is known that 60 people (as of the end of 2006) were enshrined even though they were not killed, such as those who died or survivors while living in Korea.
Yasukuni Shrine is refusing to cancel the marriage ceremony by the person concerned or their bereaved family.
(Photo = Yonhap News)