Government Expresses "Deep Disappointment and Regret" Over Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba's Offering at Yasukuni Shrine

LDP Leader Takaichi Also Personally Pays for Ritual Offering

On October 17, the government expressed disappointment and regret to the Japanese side regarding Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's offering of a ritual object at the Yasukuni Shrine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a spokesperson's statement that day, saying, "The government expresses deep disappointment and regret that responsible Japanese leaders have once again offered ritual objects or paid visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies Japan's past wars of aggression and enshrines war criminals."

Yonhap News Agency

The government stated, "Our government urges responsible Japanese leaders to face history squarely and demonstrate genuine reflection and sincere remorse for past wrongdoings through their actions." The statement added, "We once again emphasize that this is a crucial foundation for building a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship based on trust between the countries and their peoples."

Meanwhile, on this day, Prime Minister Ishiba made an offering called 'masakaki' at the Yasukuni Shrine in the name of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Sanae Takaichi, the Liberal Democratic Party leader who is considered a strong candidate for the next prime minister, is also reported to have personally paid for an offering called 'tamagushi' at the Yasukuni Shrine.