According to Yonhap, on October 17, the South Korean government expressed 'deep regret' over Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's offering of sacrifices at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea issued a statement on the same day, saying that they express "deep disappointment and regret" regarding the repeated visits by senior Japanese government officials to the Yasukuni Shrine for worship or tribute. The Yasukuni Shrine glorifies Japan's past aggressive wars and houses war criminals.
We urge the Japanese government at a high level to face its history, demonstrate humility and reflection on history through concrete actions and sincere regret," said the South Korean Foreign Ministry. Only then can this be the foundation for future Korea-Japan relations based on mutual trust between countries and citizens.
According to a Japanese economic news report, in preparation for the autumn festival of the Japanese Yasukuni Shrine held from the 17th to the 19th, Kaisho Hayami presented a ritual offering called "Shinmei" to the shrine where top war criminals from World War II are enshrined, on behalf of the "Prime Minister of the Cabinet".
According to reports, it is expected that Gao will not visit for the festival period.
One year ago, in October 2025, Naomi Kasai, who was about to become prime minister at that time, decided not to attend the autumn regular ceremony due to concerns about its impact on foreign relations. Instead, she paid for the “joss” herself as the party president. During the spring regular ceremony in April 2026, she also offered the “true incense” like before, but once again did not attend the ceremony.
Regarding Japan's negative actions related to the Yasukuni Shrine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed its stance on multiple occasions.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that Japan launched an aggressive war against foreign countries during World War II and committed inhumane crimes. The so-called "Yasukuni Shrine" is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarism. The 14 Class-A war criminals enshrined in this shrine are the chief culprits behind the aggressive wars, making it essentially a "war-criminal shrine."
On October 16, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning reiterated that Japan has no room for “discussion” regarding compliance with the post-war international order and adherence to international obligations. Japan should face up to the concerns of the international community, deeply reflect on its historical militarist crimes, completely abandon any attempts at “re-militarization” and nuclear proliferation, and avoid being placed on the opposite side of the international community once again.
