Speculation that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may visit the Yasukuni Shrine on Friday has once again put Japan’s attitude toward history and peace under the spotlight. Should such a visit occur, it would not be an isolated personal gesture, but a political act with grave regional and international consequences, further escalating the diplomatic crisis already triggered by her erroneous remarks on the Taiwan Strait situation in the Diet on Nov 7.

The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is a long-standing symbol and spiritual tool of Japanese militarism, enshrining 14 convicted Class-A war criminals from World War II. Any visit by a sitting Japanese prime minister amounts to a public endorsement of a distorted historical narrative that glorifies aggression and denies the verdict of international justice.

The harm that would be caused by Takaichi visiting the Yasukuni Shrine would go far beyond diplomatic symbolism. As reported on Tuesday, bereaved families in the Republic of Korea have filed a lawsuit demanding the removal of the names of their relatives — forced conscripts who died during World War........

© The Frontier Post (Editorial)