タグ: “war dead”

Yasukuni Shrine Issue Again on Front Page-Deputy PM and Lawmakers Visit Shrine to Honor War Dead in Same Week.

The Japan Times Online (April 24, 2013) reported that a record 168 lawmakers visited Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward to honor the war dead. The Times article stated that this was the largest number of legislators to visit since 1989.

The legislators’ visit on Tuesday followed a Sunday (April 21, 2013) visit  by Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and Minister of Internal Affairs Yoshitaka Shindo to Yasukuni Shrine. This visit had called forth quick response from two of Japan’s neighbors.

China lodged a diplomatic protest and the Republic of Korea cancelled the visit of its foreign minister to Japan. In a continuation of the story, Korea’s Chosun Ilbo (April 25, 2013) reports that Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe responded to criticism by its neighbors by saying that officials have the right “not to submit to any threats.” In a daily news conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying called the visit a “negative act.”

(DP)
Japan Times Online article here: http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/04/24/national/record-168-lawmakers-visit-yasukuni/#.UXkfHuCJLMU
ChosunIlbo article here: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/04/25/2013042501200.html
CCTV article here: http://english.cntv.cn/20130423/106623.shtml