The government expressed deep disappointment and regret over the fact that high-ranking Japanese figures made offerings or visited the Yasukuni Shrine on the 15th, Liberation Day.
On this day, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida paid a tamagushi (white paper wrapped around a Japanese cypress tree) donation to the Yasukuni Shrine, where the memorial tablets of Class A war criminals are enshrined, on the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II. In addition, three cabinet ministers, including Defense Minister Minoru Kihara and Economic Revitalization Minister Yoshitaka Shindo, visited Yasukuni Shrine in person to pay their respects.
In response, the government said, “We urge Japan’s responsible leaders to face history squarely and demonstrate humble reflection and genuine introspection on the past through action,” adding, “We emphasize once again that this is an important foundation for the development of future-oriented Korea-Japan relations.”
In particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the visit by Defense Minister Kihara, who is in charge of Japan’s national security, was an “anachronistic act” and that “we would like to make it clear that this is an issue that can never gain the understanding of neighboring countries that have a painful history of being invaded by foreign countries.”
The Ministry of National Defense also said, “We cannot help but deplore this,” and added, “The Japanese Defense Minister’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine directly contradicts the efforts of both Korea and Japan to build a future-oriented relationship while facing history, and we express serious concern and regret about this.”
In addition, on that day, Kim Sang-hoon, Director-General for Asia and Pacific Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, summoned Daisuke Mibae, Minister General at the Japanese Embassy in Korea, and lodged a strong protest, and Lee Seung-beom, Director-General for International Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, summoned Yohei Takeda, Defense Attaché at the Japanese Embassy in Korea, and lodged a strong protest against the visit.
Lee Ye-ji, Donga.com reporter [email protected]
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2024-08-15 14:29:20