Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on Saturday to mark the 81st anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. The visit immediately drew sharp protests from China and South Korea, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stayed away to avoid worsening regional diplomatic tensions.
The annual commemoration of Japan’s World War II surrender took on renewed diplomatic friction on Saturday, August 15, 2026, as Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi prayed at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine honors more than 2.4 million war dead, including 14 Class-A war criminals convicted by Allied tribunals. Because of this enshrinement, Asian neighbors who suffered under Japanese imperial aggression view the site as a potent symbol of past militarism.
Cabinet Ministers Visit While Prime Minister Sends Ritual Offering
While Koizumi walked past journalists at the shrine in a dark suit and tie, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering paid for out of her own pocket as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Takaichi, a conservative who took office last October, has refrained from visiting the shrine in person since becoming prime minister, despite having visited during past seasonal festivals and war anniversaries before taking power.
To make up for the prime minister’s absence and appeal to her right-wing base amid falling support ratings, three senior LDP executives conducted a rare joint visit. Suzuki told reporters that he prayed while keeping the prime minister’s thoughts in mind for “the spirits of the war dead.”
Three other Cabinet members joined Koizumi at the site: Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Minoru Kiuchi, Economic Security Minister Kimi Onoda, and Hitoshi Kikawada, who oversees issues related to Okinawa and the Northern Territories. Koizumi is the first sitting defense minister confirmed to have visited the shrine on the war anniversary since Minoru Kihara went on August 15, 2024. Kihara currently serves as chief Cabinet secretary in Takaichi’s administration.
Immediate Protests and Diplomatic Fallout From Beijing and Seoul
China responded swiftly to the political visits. State broadcaster CCTV reported that a foreign ministry spokesperson stated “China strongly condemns the negative moves by the Japanese side concerning the Yasukuni Shrine, and has already lodged solemn representations and a strong protest with Japan.” Kyodo News reported that Beijing also stated it “deplores” the developments.
Both China and South Korea maintain that visits by senior Japanese officials gloss over Tokyo’s wartime atrocities and demonstrate a lack of genuine remorse. Tensions between Tokyo and Beijing have already remained severely strained since November, when Takaichi suggested in parliament that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a survival-threatening situation” for Japan, requiring the mobilization of Self-Defense Forces in coordination with the United States.
Historical Context of Yasukuni and the War Criminal Enshrinement
Emperor Meiji ordered the construction of Yasukuni Shrine in 1869 following the restoration of imperial rule, initially conceiving it to honor those who fell defending the imperial cause and to unite the populace under a spiritual union with the sacred emperor. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur issued an order in December 1945 that abolished State Shinto, cutting off government funding and transforming Yasukuni into a private religious corporation.
In 1978, Yasukuni’s head priest enshrined 14 Class-A war criminals—masterminds of the war designated by Allied tribunals for “crimes against peace,” including wartime Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo.
Balancing Domestic Conservatism With Regional Stability
Takaichi faces a delicate political balancing act. While conservative supporters and right-wing members of her party pressure her to honor her past pledges to pray at Yasukuni on August 15, Japanese media reported earlier in the week that she decided to stay away to prevent further deterioration in relations with Beijing and maintain working ties with Seoul.
“I renewed my pledge to renounce war and continue fulfilling the responsibility of Japan, which has consistently made strides as a peace-loving nation since the end of the war.”
Shinjiro Koizumi, Defense Minister, via X
