Japan ruling party executive Kobayashi visits war-linked Yasukuni shrine

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Takayuki Kobayashi, a senior executive of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, visited the war-linked Yasukuni shrine on Sunday,

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 Oki

South Korea denounced visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese officials and politicians Saturday, urging Japan's leaders to squarely face history and show remorse in order to develop bilateral relations based on mutual trust. The foreign ministry issued a statement after Japanese ministers and lawmakers visited or se

China has “strongly condemned” Japanese leaders for visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine and making an offering on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s announcement of surrender in World War II. Beijing lodged a formal protest after Japanese defence chief Shinjiro Koizumi visited the shrine on Saturday. China and many

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stayed away from Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine as the country marks the 81st anniversary of its World War II surrender

Japan's Takaichi skips controversial Yasukuni Shrine visit on anniversary of World War II surrender  AP News

Japan defence minister visits contentious Yasukuni Shrine to war dead  Reuters

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.

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

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.