Japan war shrine vandalised again with graffiti

By AFP
August 20, 2024
A blue sheet obscures the stone pillar which bears the name of the Yasukuni Shrine, after graffiti was found on the structure at the entrance to the shrine in Tokyo on August 19, 2024. — AFP
A blue sheet obscures the stone pillar which bears the name of the Yasukuni Shrine, after graffiti was found on the structure at the entrance to the shrine in Tokyo on August 19, 2024. — AFP 

TOKYO: A Tokyo shrine seen as a symbol of Japan´s past militarism reported on Monday a second case of graffiti in three months.

The Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo honours 2.5 million mostly Japanese killed in wars since the late 19th century, including convicted war criminals. Officials regularly pay homage at Yasukuni, as did three government ministers and scores of other lawmakers on the 79th anniversary of Japan´s surrender in World War II on Thursday.

Such visits have angered some of Japan´s Asian neighbours and former victims of its imperialism, especially China and South Korea. A Yasukuni shrine official confirmed the new case of graffiti to AFP, without elaborating further.

Footage from public broadcaster NHK showed a stone pillar defaced with Chinese words meaning: “Dog toilet shit. Militarism go to hell.” In late May, a Chinese man allegedly conspired with two others to spray-paint the word “toilet” in red on a pillar at the shrine.