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Yasukuni Shrine

Yasukuni Shrine, located in Tokyo, Japan, is dedicated to over 2,466,000 Japanese soldiers and servicemen who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan in the last 150 years. It also houses one of the few Japanese war museums dedicated to World War II.The shrine is at the center of an international controversy by honoring war criminals convicted by a post World War II court including 14 'Class A' war criminals. Japanese politicians, including prime ministers and cabinet members have paid visits to Yasukuni Shrine in recent years which caused criticism and protests from China, Korea, and Taiwan.

Protesters hold up banners during a rally against Japanese colonial rule, in front of a statue symbolising a wartime sex slave near the Japanese embassy in Seoul, in 2021. Photo: AP

Protesters hold a regular Wednesday rally near the Japanese embassy in Seoul on August 12 to call for Japan’s apology and compensation for the victims of the Japanese army’s sexual slavery during the second world war. Photo: EPA

People hold portraits of “comfort women” and their testimonies during a protest rally held in Seoul in 2022. Photo: Xinhua

South Korea

Can Japan, South Korea move past the ‘comfort women’ issue?

The issue is set to continue rattling ties between Tokyo and Seoul even as they seek to find common ground on security and trade issues.

8 Sep 2026 - 9:39AM

China-Japan relations

China slams Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

15 Aug 2026 - 8:48PMvideocam

Yasukuni Shrine

Can Japan, South Korea move past the ‘comfort women’ issue?

The issue is set to continue rattling ties between Tokyo and Seoul even as they seek to find common ground on security and trade issues.

China slams Japanese officials’ visit to Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary

Japan PM avoids Yasukuni Shrine on WWII anniversary, 4 ministers visit

What does the first visit to the Kuril Islands by Vladimir Putin mean for China?

Diplomatic offensive seen to signal growing alignment between Beijing and Moscow to isolate Tokyo ahead of key November summit.

Sino-Japanese relations

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | The domestic dynamics driving Japan’s remilitarisation

Sanctions, diplomatic warnings and aggressive rhetoric create a perilous loop, reinforcing the very domestic tendencies China seeks to deter.

Japan’s Takaichi sends Yasukuni shrine offering, South Korea expresses ‘regret’

Seoul urges Japan’s leaders to ‘face history squarely’ and show through action ‘a sincere remorse for its past’.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Tokyo’s cherry blossom season kicks off early

This year’s sakura season is 5 days earlier than usual.

Blooming marvellous: Tokyo’s cherry blossom season officially begins

The blooming was five days earlier than the average, possibly due to low rainfall and longer hours of sunshine in winter.

Why Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan has North Korea on edge

North Korea has accused Japan of resurrecting its wartime ambitions by expanding its defence and pursuing security alliances.

‘Unprecedented’: Japan’s 1-party era under threat as centrists unite

The new CDP-Komeito pact marks a ‘turning point’ in Japanese politics that could finally end the LDP’s decades-long grip, analysts say.

Opinion | From Singapore to Taiwan, Japan must face its past for Asia’s future

Lasting peace in Asia demands that Tokyo abandons its historical revisionism and refusal to acknowledge past crimes.

Opinion | Only true repentance from Japan can resolve East Asia’s ‘memory wars’

It is important that Japan, China and South Korea collectively reckon with the legacy of military aggression and wartime atrocities.

China’s volatile Japan ties

China and Japan have built deep economic links, while also still having regular diplomatic rows. The latest blow-up came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that the nation’s military forces could potentially be deployed in the event of a Taiwan conflict.

Opinion | Why Chinese are cancelling their trips to Japan

The Japanese prime minister crossed a red line and reopened old wounds in employing language that echoed rhetoric used by imperial Japan to justify invasion.

Yasukuni litmus test looms for Japan’s new PM Takaichi

As pressure mounts on Takaichi to visit Yasukuni as leader, analysts warn such a move could embolden the far-right and strain regional ties.

Xi tells new Japanese PM that conflicts should not define their ties

At first sit-down meeting with Sanae Takaichi, Chinese leader says the two countries should focus on the bigger picture to manage differences.

Takaichi-Lee meeting raises hopes of Japan and South Korea burying history row

The two leaders focused on regional security and trade, and did not mention long-standing differences over history and maritime territory.

China gives Japan’s new prime minister Sanae Takaichi the cold shoulder

Beijing has yet to congratulate Takaichi, who holds controversial positions on Taiwan and Japanese wartime history.

Why Japan’s first female PM is winning hearts – even with scandal-hit cabinet

Early polls show strong approval ratings for Sanae Takaichi, despite cabinet picks linked to one of the country’s biggest political scandals.

Japan’s new PM talks up ties with South Korea but her past casts a long shadow

South Koreans are optimistic about Sanae Takaichi for now. Only time will tell whether the goodwill lasts, however.

Editorial | Japan’s new PM must respect China’s red lines if ties are to improve

Sanae Takaichi should show she shares her predecessor’s understanding of the importance of China to Japan’s economy.

For the first time in years, Japan’s opposition sees a route to power

The Liberal Democratic Party has ruled Japan in unbroken succession since Shinzo Abe’s landslide victory in 2012.

Will Japan’s new PM reopen old war wounds with South Korea?

A staunch conservative with ties to a powerful right-wing lobby group, Sanae Takaichi has repeatedly downplayed Japan’s wartime atrocities.

Japan is getting a new leader, but her government could be over before it begins

Sanae Takaichi’s hardline views on immigration and wartime history have put her at odds with the ruling LDP’s long-time coalition partner.

‘New era’: Japan’s LDP elects Sanae Takaichi, poised to be first female PM

She was elected LDP president on Saturday after winning a run-off vote against Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of a former prime minister.

Call to remove Yasukuni’s war criminals sparks right-wing anger in Japan

The call by Yoshimasa Hayashi, a top LDP politician, may help mend ties between Japan and the region over its WWII history if carried out.

Japan’s next leader? LDP showdown pits Abe protégé against reformist scion

Recent polls suggest the party’s voters will decide between Sanae Takaichi’s conservative vision and Shinjiro Koizumi’s centrist appeal.

Opinion | The domestic dynamics driving Japan’s remilitarisation

Video | Tokyo’s cherry blossom season kicks off early