South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on 21 expressed deep regret after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent an offering to the Yasukuni Shrine’s autumn festival in Tokyo, where Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined.
In a spokesperson’s statement, the ministry said the South Korean government was “deeply disappointed and regretful” that “responsible Japanese leaders” again made offerings or visited the shrine, which it said glorifies Japan’s past wars of aggression and enshrines war criminals.
The ministry urged Japan’s leaders to “face history” and to show “humble reflection and sincere remorse” over the past through their actions, adding that this is an important foundation for building a future-oriented South Korea-Japan relationship based on mutual trust.
Takaichi made the offering to the shrine on 21. Other Cabinet ministers and key politicians from the ruling coalition also made offerings or visited, the ministry said.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.