Yasukuni Shrine 

Japanese political leaders’ visits to Yasukuni Shrine have caused international controversy. 

Why does the international community and neighboring countries like Korea criticize these visits and demand that Japanese politicians stop this tribute? 

The Yasukuni Shrine was established in 1869 to commemorate the war dead who have died between 1853, and 1945, when Japan was defeated by the Allied Forces in World War II. The 2.46 million enshrined war dead have been deified and honored with Shinto rites. 

It was only in 1978, however, that the Yasukuni Shrine became an international issue when Class-A war criminals who were sentenced at the Tokyo Trial were allowed to be enshrined there. 

This is seen as a move by Japan to legitimize its past wartime aggressions. 

Another issue concerns the enshrinement of Koreans and Taiwanese soldiers at Yasukuni Shrine who were forced to enlist in the Japanese army and fight for Japan. 


The Yasukuni Shrine carries out rites to pay respect to these Koreans and Taiwanese for sacrificing their lives for Japan and the Japanese Emperor without the consent of the respective families. 

Another issue is that some of the Korean people who are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine are still alive. 

Currently, Koreans whose family members are included at the Yasukuni Shrine have filed lawsuits against Japan and the Yasukuni Shrine to remove their deceased. 

Along with enlightened Japanese citizens, the Korean and Taiwanese families, who are deeply insulted and dishonored that their loved ones are enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine, wish that the names be removed immediately. They want to send a clear message that the Koreans and Taiwanese enshrined there did not die while fighting for Japan but were victims.