South Korea’s Display of Concern as Japan Commemorates Wartime Heroes in the Yasukuni Shrine
South Korea's sorrowful reaction to Japanese lawmakers' recent visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine has once again shown that wartime feelings of anguish still linger.
The shrine was constructed to remember the Japanese who gave their lives for the country since the time of Emperor Meiji. About two million souls are worshiped and remembered in the historical site but this is not the reason for the great outcry not only in South Korea but also China.
The display of antagonism and displeasure is because of the fact that leaders such as the late General Hideki Tojo, a prime figure in World War II, is continuously extolled in the infamous place of veneration. The ill feeling arising from neighboring countries is heightened as the 13 convicted WW II leaders are also given the same honor as the general.
A regular stream of Japan's highest officials pay respect to the shrine. The place has seen the visage of Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, the only one in his rank to have officially visited Yakusuni after the war. The other prime ministers were more discreet as Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and Junichiro Koizumi made this a private affair as accounts say.
According to Reuter's report of the visit, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs "...express deep concern and regret that responsible political leaders ... are again paying tribute to the Yasukuni Shrine that glorifies the history of the war of aggression."
Japan seems to be have expressed the same show of "deep regret" when Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga didn't hide his contention as South Korea officials traipsed all the way to the much disputed island between the two countries, Takeshima as they call it in Japan and for Korea, Dokdo.
It seems like the historically embedded conflict will not be resolved soon as the continuation of these acts will obviously cause and further feelings of displeasure between the different parties.
