Japan PM Takaichi skips visit to the Yasukuni Shrine

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi yesterday stayed away from the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, apparently to prioritize diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, as Japan marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II.Takaichi mourned the victims of major devastation in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Okinawa, as well as those who perished in overseas battlefronts, and thanked them for their sacrifice as the “foundation of Japan’s peace and prosperity today.”“Japan, since the end of the war, has consistently contributed to global peace and prosperity. We will never let the tragedy of the war be repeated,” she said, adding that Japan can play a key role in addressing global challenges as “a dependable nation” in the region. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks at the