This is the same place that has a plaque about the Nanjing "Incident" that says it was nothing but a "severe prosecution of Chinese soldiers in civilian uniforms". It also has a train that ran on the Siam-Burmese Railway where Japan worked 100,000 people to death and all it says about it is that it was "present for the opening and returned to Japan in the 1970s".
The place is a deliberately dishonest and fucked institution.
135
Intelligent-Ant82707 hr ago
+12
Quintessential of what the Japanese advocate
12
PlanktonInitial794513 hr ago
+97
And they'll do the same thing again next year, and the year after that, and the year after that... You may be able to argue that Japanese citizens are generally pacifists, but their government definitely isn't.
97
5nbx8aa11 hr ago
+77
well I'm pretty sure most Japanese citizens have no problem with their politicians going that shrine.
77
Indalec10 hr ago
+24
Many japanese nationalist are fine with it especially LDP and Sanseito followers.
24
perotech9 hr ago
+24
The number of pacifist/anti-war Japanese citizens shrinks year by year.
24
Lable876 hr ago
+1
I would argue, though, that's Japanese don't see this shrine under the same light Korea and China do, and it's not without basis either.
To copy my old post about Yasukuni Shrine so I won't have to look up numbers again:
>you still have shrines constructed for those war criminals and worship them
Me:
>Just want to clear something: Yasukuni shrine was NOT "constructed for those war criminals and worship them". That's a common misunderstanding. It was a shrine first and foremost for people who died in war and in service of war - this included both civilians and military which, admittedly, those war criminals were part of. However, keep in mind that Yasukuni Shrine enshrined almost 2.5M people, among which only around 1,000 were WW2 criminals, a rate of less than 0.05%.
>There is a big difference between "A shrine for people who died in war that included some war criminals" and "A shrine for war criminals". I know the shrine is very controversial, especially when it comes to China and South Korea, but let's at least get our facts straight. There are even people who fought against Imperial Japan enshrined there.
>That's why sometimes we get the problems with Japanese celebrities (singers, actors / actresses, VA, etc.) who are no way right-aligned politically visited that shrine. To them, they weren't visiting a shrine for war criminals, they were visiting a shrine for people who died in war or were part of war.
So yeah, they will visit it again and again, but I wouldn't be quick to say whether being pacifist (or the other way around) had anything to do with that
1
Nessie_of_the_Loch6 hr ago
+1
While everything you stated is true, you're also being deceptive by omission. They enshrined 14 Class-A criminals in 1978 (decades after the war) into the shrine secretly, knowing full well that public knowledge would result in an eruption of controversy. The enshrinement didn't even become public until the following year.
After that, even the emperor of Japan has stopped visiting the shrine.
If we found out that the WW2 memorial in DC suddenly added Adolf Hitler and the worst Nazi's class A criminals' names to it, and politicians were visiting it on the time of remembrance, there would absolutely be a justified outrage. It makes a mockery of all the others being remembered.
And people absolutely know what visiting the shrine looks like to the international audience, regardless of what they personally believe. That's why (especially in the case of high ranking politicians) visiting the shrine sends a very public signal.
To argue otherwise is like someone in America having a swastika hanging in their room and arguing they put it up because they like what it means in the original Sanskrit. No, they absolutely know what they're doing and they're doing it because of its association with Nazis.
Same thing for the shrine.
1
iknsw12 hr ago
+91
Reminder that this is the war shrine that expressly glorifies Imperial Japan’s actions in WWII as seen from their museum and website, and has even been boycotted by Emperor Hirohito himself (and every other emperor after him) after they chose to secretly enshrine the Class A war criminals as martyrs in 1978.
91
Dalek_Chaos11 hr ago
+36
Class a, b, and c are all enshrined there. The order of the letters has no bearing on how bad their crimes actually were, just the type. Class a is crimes against peace. Class b is violations of the laws of war. And class c is crimes against humanity.
36
iknsw10 hr ago
+6
Class A charges covered crimes against peace, that is, waging a war of aggression against other nations, and only applied to Japan's top leaders who had planned and directed the war. Arguably these are by far the worst of them all, and the enshrinement of these who were people directly responsible for the war shows exactly how the shrine and its supporters see the war itself.
6
Dalek_Chaos9 hr ago
+6
You're acting like I'm defending them. I'm not. I'm pointing out that all three are enshrined there. If anything I would be arguing that all three are equally evil in their own right. Simon Whistler has a great youtube video on this shrine and goes into a small bit of detail on what each classification means and gives a few examples of the atrocities each are responsible for.
6
Fearless_Ad_54707 hr ago
+1
I've seen some videos of the Yasukuni Shrine, and what's most ironic is that the Japanese consistently claim in their internal museum that the responsibility for the Pearl Harbor attack lies with the American blockade, while completely ignoring their ambitions to expand their colonies.
1
PegMe-10936 hr ago
+1
Korea likes to keep bringing this stuff up for their own politics. Japan has already apologized multiple times.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan
1
SilentSpader12 hr ago
-116
South Korea is such a hypocritical country
>South Koreans were more barbarous than the Americans
[Vietnam's massacre by South Korean army](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oXCQ2MWl4o)
[South Korean Forces - Wartime Rapes in Vietnam ベトナム戦争における韓国軍の性犯罪](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjZptOK9cws)
At least Japan has apologized many times and compensated. South Korea has not even admitted the atrocities they committed.
-116
Indalec10 hr ago
+47
I don't remember Japan has officially apologized to China, majority of their politicians are still denying Nanjing massacre and unit 731 lol.
47
PlanktonInitial79459 hr ago
+30
Don't forget comfort women!
30
SilentSpader8 hr ago
-34
Don't forget your country's atrocities, too!
-34
SilentSpader7 hr ago
+1
China's organ trafficking business is disgusting [China Making Billions By Illegal Organ Trade By Exploiting Uighurs, Claims Australian Report | CRUX](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6IWy5RL2Qo&t=88s)
[China Tried Harvesting His Organs. He Survived.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q9Bdy1ipdI&t=24s)
1
Indalec7 hr ago
+1
Claims Australia report without hidden agenda of course or paid by US state of dept like the Uyghurs genocide nonsense story from Adrian Zenz 🤣🤣🤣
1
SilentSpader7 hr ago
+1
Why do you think you can find a organ doner in China within a few hours? Keep denying. 🙄
1
Indalec7 hr ago
+1
I don't know lol, you tell me at least show some proof not random stories from Westerner who are most likely funded by CIA.
1
SilentSpader7 hr ago
+1
lol at CIA. What part of the guy in the video who had his organ taken makes a Westerner? He totally looks Asian.
Let me ask you a question. What do you think of Tiananmen Squire Massacre took place in 1989? Are you going to deny that, too?
1
SilentSpader9 hr ago
-33
Chinese government needs to start facing its own atrocities instead of crying about Japan the same for S Korea
[The Tibet Genocide of 1959: History and Legal Evidence - LegalClarity](https://legalclarity.org/the-tibet-genocide-of-1959-history-and-legal-evidence/)
[Tiananmen Square: What happened in the protests of 1989? - BBC News](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3RzKKfNkTk)
-33
EdKeane9 hr ago
+15
Okay? And that makes it okay to massacre them?
15
SilentSpader9 hr ago
-6
Huh? Of course never OK to massacre.
-6
Shirikane7 hr ago
+2
All you’re doing by posting this is conflating Japan with China. I would like to think that a liberal democracy could admit and apologise for their previous wrongdoings a la Germany, instead of downplaying or straight up not acknowledging their past transgressions like China is more than happy to do.
2
littorio10 hr ago
+31
Not denying the atrocities that had happened during the Vietnam war; however, past Korean presidents did attempt to apologize over the matter in multiple occasions.
1999 and 2001 by Kim Dae Jung ([link](https://h21.hani.co.kr/section-021025000/2001/08/p021025000200108280374066.html) to old article)
2004 by Roh Moo-hyun during state visit
2017 and 2018 by Moon Jae In ([news article](https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=156348) on Hanoi visit during March 2018)
2023 by Lee Jae Myeong (when he was Democrat party leader) and in 2025 during [closed door talks](https://www.newdaily.co.kr/site/data/html/2025/08/04/2025080400396.html#:~:text=%EC%9D%B4%EC%9E%AC%EB%AA%85%20%EB%8C%80%ED%86%B5%EB%A0%B9%EC%9D%B4%20%EB%B2%A0%ED%8A%B8%EB%82%A8%EC%A0%84%20%EB%8B%B9%EC%8B%9C%20%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EA%B5%B0%EC%9D%98%20%EB%AF%BC%EA%B0%84%EC%9D%B8%20%ED%94%BC%ED%95%B4,%ED%95%9C%EB%AF%B8%20%EC%A0%95%EC%83%81%ED%9A%8C%EB%8B%B4%EC%9D%84%20%EC%95%9E%EB%91%94%20%EB%AF%BC%EA%B0%90%ED%95%9C%20%EC%8B%9C%EC%A0%90%EC%97%90%20%EB%92%A4%EB%8A%A6%EA%B2%8C%20%EA%B3%B5%EA%B0%9C%EB%90%90%EB%8B%A4) before Tariff negotiation with American delegation (how do we know this? Because People's Party National Assembly members made a huge fuss in Facebook about 'disrespecting veterans' who sacrificed themselves for the nation during Vietnam War by president apologizing)
Even the Korean court [ruled in favor](https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-64578815) for Vietnamese victims on acknowledging the atrocities against civilian during First hearing on Feb 2023 and the Court of Appeal has maintained the initial ruling as of January 2025.
But you are right, those who have committed atrocities, regardless of nationality, should face trial and repent for their unacceptable crimes.
31
PlappingtonThe9 hr ago
yuzuha jumpscare
0
SilentSpader10 hr ago
-28
No, they still not acknowledged and no statement was issued as a country nor have apologized or compensated. All talks no action. Acknowledge them individually is different.
>Even the Korean court [ruled in favor](https://www.bbc.com/korean/news-64578815) for Vietnamese victims on acknowledging the atrocities against civilian during First hearing on Feb 2023 and the Court of Appeal has maintained the initial ruling as of January 2025.
That's court decision. The South Korean government has not done anything since then.
-28
littorio10 hr ago
+11
>Acknowledge them individually is different.
If you have read or google translated the articles I linked, how is that... different from Japanese prime ministers Kōno Yohei (1993) and Murayama Tomiichi (1995) apologizing? I am just confused.
For the Court decision, it has been appealed again to the Supreme Court and we shall see how the ruling goes. If the Korean government truly sees the need to take sincere action, following the court ruling (in case they lose the appeal) and compensating the victims will be the first step needed to be taken.
11
mr_WhatzitTooya___8 hr ago
+9
Ok weeb
9
TreadStone53011 hr ago
+26
Apologized many times... what's the source?
They're notorious for disclaiming every war crime they've committed.
26
SilentSpader10 hr ago
-30
[List of war apology statements issued by Japan - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan)
China and South Korea bots are liars. They say Japan NEVER apologies. Do not listen to their propaganda. Yes, Japan apologized for the war crime MANY TIMES.
-30
Obvious_Towel25310 hr ago
+23
What good are the apologies if their leaders still honor the war criminals? Funny way of showing sincerity 🤔
23
SilentSpader9 hr ago
-7
Where are you from? South Korea or China?
-7
StandAloneComplexed9 hr ago
+23
You don't need to be from either country to see how Japan's behavior is unbelievably hypocritical.
If you believe one has to be Korean or Chinese to have that view on Japan, then you're part of the problem.
23
SilentSpader9 hr ago
-2
Oh, yes you do. I am talking about their hypocritical behavior. They need to stop being a coward and be fair if you want to discuss these matters.
-2
The9isback9 hr ago
+14
I am from neither but I too say that the Japanese government's attitude is hypocritical and entirely insincere. And yes, Japan killed tens of thousands of my countrymen.
14
SilentSpader9 hr ago
-7
And your country which you cowardly hide? I bet your country has dark history as well.
-7
TheWhomItConcerns9 hr ago
+15
This is so entirely beside the point. No one is saying that any country is perfect, simply that it's disgraceful for a political leader to openly embrace and celebrate the actions of war criminals.
Any decent human being would be capable of doing the same when it comes to their own country too.
15
SilentSpader8 hr ago
-5
It is only natural to show respect to those who fought for their country. This is not about glorifying them. You have to know that Yasukuni Shrine is not a shrine solely for war criminals. Normal Japanese people, Taiwanese, Koreans and other foreigners. Of course it should be allowed to exist and visit.
-5
Obvious_Towel2538 hr ago
+7
“YEA!! THAT MAN THAT RAPED AND KILLED CHILDREN DESERVES OUR RESPECT!! HE DIED FIGHTING FOR WHAT JAPAN STANDS FOR!!!” ….Really bro 😒 what a hill
Like taking the war criminals out of Yasukuni would be impossible lmao
7
TheWhomItConcerns7 hr ago
+1
>It is only natural to show respect to those who fought for their country.
No, it isn't, and even if it were, an appeal to instinct is an incredibly weak argument for anything - she's a political leader, not a dog. There have been multiple Japanese heads of state who've refused to visit it on principle, including the f****** emperor.
She could have and absolutely should have done better, but she's obviously also wanting to pander to her far-right supporters.
>This is not about glorifying them. You have to know that Yasukuni Shrine is not a shrine solely for war criminals.
I couldn't give one iota of a shit - it enshrines over a thousand *convicted* war criminals. Is there no other shrine at which she could pay respect in the country?
1
The9isback8 hr ago
+11
Singapore. What atrocities have we committed?
11
-ShadowPuppet8 hr ago
+6
You guys massacred many swordfish.
/s
6
PlanktonInitial79459 hr ago
+17
The problem as I see it isn't that they never apologize, it's that, right after apologizing, they turn around and say that Nanjing death tolls are "overestimated" and that ex-comfort women's testimonies are "inconsistent" and then _visit and send gifts to a shrine that honors war criminals_. If Japanese leaders really felt remorseful of the country's massacres they wouldn't even allow that shrine to exist, let alone send f****** gifts to it.
17
SilentSpader9 hr ago
-4
It is only natural to show respect to those who fought for their country. This is not about glorifying them. You have to know that Yasukuni Shrine is not a shrine solely for war criminals. Normal Japanese people, Taiwanese, Koreans and other foreigners. Of course it should be allowed to exist and visit.
-4
PlanktonInitial79458 hr ago
+6
There's several other shrines dedicated to war heroes/victims that they can visit and send gifts to. They can also do what Spain did and remove the criminals from the shrine so that prayers and donations will only go to actual heroes. But they don't do either of those things. They never even bother to clarify that the visits/gifts aren't dedicated to the criminals Why do you think that is?
6
hayagarnm88 hr ago
+11
Found the nazi. Also your link is japanese. We are meant to believe what japanese people say about their own warcrimes?
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