Japanese police arrested a South Korean national for allegedly obstructing an annual spring festival at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Wednesday. The 64-year-old man was holding a banner with political messages, including calls for "war criminals" to stop praying at the shrine and territorial claims on an island disputed between Japan and South Korea, according to authorities.

The Yasukuni Shrine honors Japan's 2.5 million war dead, including convicted war criminals. Victims of Japanese aggression and imperialism before and during World War II, particularly China and the Koreas, often view visits to the shrine as demonstrating a lack of remorse for Japan's wartime past. The arrest highlights ongoing tensions in the region over historical issues.

The Japanese Kyodo news agency reported that the man stood at the main gate in front of vehicles carrying messengers from the emperor, who did not attend the politically sensitive event in person but sent offerings instead. Despite this, the incident drew criticism from China and South Korea. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman described the shrine as a "spiritual instrument and symbol of the wars of aggression launched by Japanese militarism," while a South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed "deep disappointment and regret."

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a conservative who previously prayed regularly at the shrine before assuming office, sent a religious ornament and offering for the second time instead of visiting in person, which also prompted criticism. No Japanese prime minister has visited the shrine since 2013, when Shinzo Abe did so, leading to severe backlash from Beijing and Seoul, as well as a rare rebuke from the US regime.

However, while Japan's emperor and prime ministers tend to avoid the site, lawmakers regularly pay homage. According to Kyodo, a delegation of over 120 lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) visited the shrine on Wednesday. Cabinet member Minoru Kiuchi, the minister of economic and fiscal policy, attended separately, telling reporters he offered "sincere gratitude, with deep reverence, to the spirits of heroes who gave their precious lives for the nation."

A veteran LDP member of the House of Representatives, Ichiro Aisawa, led the group and stated, "The many war dead laid the foundation for a peaceful and prosperous Japan" and "We must firmly pass down the memories and records of war to keep them from fading." This year's ceremony occurs as Japan, under Takaichi's leadership, continues to loosen post-World War II restrictions on military activity and weapons exports, raising concerns among neighboring countries about regional stability.

Source: www.dw.com