Takaichi's Yasukuni Gamble: A Symbolic Step Backwards for Japan Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's decision to send a ritual offering to the Yasukuni shrine on the 81st anniversary of World War II's end is a calculated move that may appease conservative supporters within her own party but will likely strain Japan's already precarious relationships with its Asian neighbors.
Located in Tokyo, Yasukuni enshrines Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by the Allied powers after World War II. The list includes General Hideki Tojo, who was executed for crimes against peace.
Visits to the shrine by Japanese officials have long been a point of contention with China and South Korea, which suffered greatly under Japan's wartime aggression.