TOKYO (AP) 鈥� Japanese Prime Minister stayed away from Tokyo’s controversial , apparently to prioritize diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, but did not mention her country鈥檚 wartime past in Asia or remorse over it in an address Saturday 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 鈥渇oundation of Japan’s peace and prosperity today.鈥� She did not mention Japanese atrocities in Asia or apologize.
鈥淛apan, 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 鈥渁 dependable nation” in the region.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, another Cabinet minister and three executives from Takaichi’s governing party showed up at the shrine earlier Saturday.
Visits by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine, which also commemorates World War II war criminals, have been criticized by China and South Korea, who see the visits as a lack of remorse over Japan鈥檚 wartime atrocities.
China and South Korea react
China鈥檚 Foreign Ministry protested to Japan over the Yasukuni visits Saturday, saying that Japanese politicians鈥� true intentions were to 鈥渃hange the verdict on the war criminals, cover up Japan鈥檚 war crimes, distort the historical facts and pave the way for accelerating militarization.鈥� It urged Japan to do 鈥渟erious soul-searching鈥� on history and make a clean break with militarism.
Tensions between Japan and China when Takaichi said a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute 鈥渁 survival-threatening situation鈥� for Japan requiring the use of force. The comments enraged Beijing.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in a statement Saturday, said that his administration used 鈥減ragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests鈥� and will broaden cooperation in shared interests to resolve common challenges. 鈥淜orea-Japan cooperation is now more important than ever.”
鈥淭he new bilateral relationship we are building must warmly illuminate those who are still suffering from pain in the shadows of history,鈥� he wrote.
Attention this week was on whether Takaichi, who has repeatedly said she would pray at the shrine on Aug. 15 despite the controversy, would keep her pledge and show up at Yasukuni.
Defense minister prays at Yasukuni
Koizumi has regularly visited the controversial shrine to mark Japan’s anniversary of the end of the war on and other occasions. But as a defense minister pushing to increase Japan鈥檚 military capability and weapons sales under Takaichi鈥檚 hawkish government, his visit Saturday is seen as more contentious.
The previous shrine visit by a defense minister was in 2024 by Minoru Kihara, the current chief secretary and top government spokesperson for Takaichi鈥檚 government.
Japan鈥檚 Defense Ministry prohibits group visits by service members of the Self-Defense Forces, on grounds of constitutional separation of religion and state. Koizumi said in October it is natural for anyone in any country to pay respect for those who sacrificed their lives for their nation.
Koizumi did not comment on the visit Saturday and walked past journalists at the shrine.
He is the son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who outraged China when he visited Yasukuni as a serving leader in 2006.
Takaichi makes offerings
Three executives from Takaichi鈥檚 governing Liberal Democratic Party also prayed together Saturday at the shrine and brought offerings in a rare joint visit on the prime minister鈥檚 behalf that is seen as a move to make up for Takaichi鈥檚 absence and appeal to her right-wing supporters.
Party secretary-general Shunichi Suzuki told reporters he prayed while keeping in mind the prime minister’s thoughts for 鈥渢he spirits of the war dead鈥� and that he brought Takaichi鈥檚 cash offerings in her capacity as party leader.
For Takaichi, appealing to right-wing voters is key at a time when her support is seen as rapidly falling, presumably over delayed economic measures addressing rising prices as well as scandals that include alleged negative election campaign videos and unpopular revisions to Japan’s imperial family succession rules.
Takaichi has not visited the shrine since taking office but has sent offerings twice for the shrine鈥檚 biannual festivals.
Emperor shows remorse, calls on history to be remembered
In contrast, Japanese emperors have not visited Yasukuni since its 1978 inclusion of 14 convicted war criminals as 鈥渕artyrs,鈥� and have expressed regrets over Japan鈥檚 wartime past, though in a nuanced way.
Emperor , in his address Saturday at the Budokan hall, said his hope was that the ravages of war will never be repeated while 鈥渞eflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse.鈥� Seeking peace and the happiness of the people in the future, he said 鈥渋t is my sincere hope that we shall continue to pass down the memories of the sufferings endured during and after the war.鈥�
Pushback against remembering Japan’s wartime history
Takaichi has repeatedly resisted acknowledging Japan’s wartime aggression and atrocities, and denied that coercion was used against Korean laborers and women held as sex slaves for Japanese troops. She was previously part of a campaign to remove references to wartime sexual slavery, euphemistically known as 鈥渃omfort women,鈥� from school textbooks.
She has said she is from a postwar generation that bears no responsibility for Japan’s past actions and that she has no intention to apologize.
The country has faced since the 2010s under nationalistic former Prime Minister who pushed to correct a 鈥渟elf-deprecating view鈥� of Japan鈥檚 wartime history and regain national pride. Takaichi considers Abe a mentor.
Since 2013, Japanese prime ministers have stopped for wartime atrocities, under a precedent set by Abe. Last year, however, former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed 鈥渞emorse鈥� over the war and called it a mistake, though he fell short of mentioning Japan’s aggression across Asia or apologizing.
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Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
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