Japan defence minister visits Yasukuni war shrine, PM Takaichi stays away

There had been speculation that Sanae Takaichi, a regular visitor before becoming Japan's prime minister in October 2025, might visit the shrine like then-premier Shinzo Abe had done in 2013.

PoliticsPrime minister avoids visit while cabinet members pay tribute to war criminal-linked shrineDoves are released as a symbol of peace at Yasukuni Shrine for the war dead in Tokyo on Aug. 15, marking the 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. © ReutersAugust 15, 2026 11:22 JSTTOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japane

Those paying respects included Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi — a regular visitor — and senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, while the co

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday sent a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, while the country’s defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi visited the site as Japan marks the 81st anniversary of the end of the second world war. Sources have said Takaichi, a conservative, is likely to re

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent an offering to a war shrine seen as a symbol of Japan's imperialistic past Saturday to mark the country's 1945 surrender in World War II. Takaichi sent the offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine in her capacity as president of the Liberal Democratic Party without visiting the sh

Japan’s defense minister visited a shrine seen by Japan’s neighbors as a symbol of its wartime militarism, a move that could inflame tensions with China and South Korea.