NewzOn Saturday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stayed away from the Yasukuni war shrine on the anniversary of the country's WWII surrender, despite prior speculation that she might visit. Takaichi had been a regular visitor to the shrine before assuming the premiership in October 2025.
While the prime minister abstained from visiting, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi—a long-time regular at the shrine—paid his respects alongside senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party early Saturday.
The Yasukuni shrine honors Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals, and has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Tokyo and its Asian neighbors. Coverage noted that Koizumi's visit as defense chief could provoke reactions from Beijing and Seoul, while comparisons were drawn to a similar visit made by former premier Shinzo Abe in 2013.
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