New Komei Party politician speaks out against LDP visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.
The Yasakuni Shrine, a Shinto Shrine in Tokyo dedicated to those who died in the name of the Empire of Japan, is a constant source of controversy due to its enshrinement of multiple war criminals from World War II.
Over the decades, there have been countless disputes over visits to the shrine by prime ministers and other government officials. Supporters of the visits insist that there’s nothing wrong with a Japanese official paying homage to the spirits of those who have died for Japan, but the international community (and Korean and Chinese citizens in particular) interpret it as an act of support for Japanese nationalism and denial of the atrocities Japan committed during World War II.
This controversy reignited when Deputy Prime Minister Aso Taro and state minister Furuya Keiji paid a visit to Yasukuni on April 21. Later that day, Diet member Natsuo Yamaguchi of the New Komei Party publicly spoke out against the visits, pointing out that it’s sure to cause harm to Japan’s diplomatic relations with China and Korea. Unsurprisingly, the netouyo responded in full force, many focusing on the NKP’s close ties with the Soka Gakkai religion.
From Yahoo! Japan:
Cabinet Ministers’ Shrine Visits “Affect Diplomacy,” Says New Komei Party Representative
At a press conference in Saitama on April 21, New Komei Party Representative Yamaguchi Natsuo expressed discomfort about the cabinet ministers’ visits to Yasukuni Shrine, saying, “No matter how you explain it, you can’t avoid the fact that it has a diplomatic impact”. In addition, he requested that from now on the government deal with this issue with “concern about damaging the improvement of our relations (with both China and Korea)”.
Comments from Yahoo! Japan:
成りすましワクチン丸山２（ald…）さん:
It’s useless for the NKP to meddle with political diplomacy or anything else.
After all, they fix their numbers.
あゆふわゆゆえあ（atu…）さん:
Since it’s a domestic issue, don’t worry about goddamn Korea and China.
godaime1020（yon…）さん:
Shut up, NKP! They did what they needed to do as Japanese people. That’s all!!
kot**otuiku*o2*0*（kot…）さん:
There’s no problem whatsoever with visiting a shrine.
(・＿＿＿＿・) ｼﾞｨｰ（kit…）さん:
His traitor ideology intermittently shows its face.
ショウ（sho…）さん:
Should we ignore the spirits of those who threw away their lives for the sake of their country?
You guys are just paying respects to an epic story and that’s fine, but regular Japanese people go to Yasukuni to give thanks to the spirits of the dead.
Shut up, cult!
あゆふわゆゆえあ（atu…）さん:
The president of Soka Gakkai is secretly Korean, so of course they’re opposed to it.
ｱﾙｾﾞﾝﾁﾝﾀﾝｺﾞ（mas…）さん:
So the NKP is trying to break its alliance with the LDP!!
ｱﾙｾﾞﾝﾁﾝﾀﾝｺﾞ（mas…）さん:
The NKP should go ahead and sink without dragging the Abe administration down with it!!
Mujaki（muj…）さん:
Since it’s a different religion from their own, the NKP can only see the people who are complaining about it.
カメラ小僧（maa…）さん:
Why do we need to concern ourselves with China and Korea?
Complaints about Japanese people paying homage to a shrine for the spirits of the Japanese war dead…
Mr. Yamaguchi of the NKP… These are all completely traitorous statements! What country are you a politician for?
shu*ji*d*cto*（shu…）さん:
Separation of church and state. Don’t say that!
NAKA-G（yg_…）さん:
Everyone in the LDP, please visit Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of the end of the war without worrying about the NKP!
４６年生まれ（the…）さん:
With this statement, the NKP made it clear that they’re unnecessary for Japan.
cell_ray_cell（cel…）さん:
There’s nothing left but to end the NKP!!! Why these traitor groups are clinging to the ruling LDP… It’s difficult to understand (*｀Д´)ノ！！！
原田岡部船木斉藤（jpn…）さん:
Why do we need to concern ourselves with stupid countries like that!
Idiots!
Anyone should visit the shrine as they like! Stupid NKP!
ポニー（hid…）さん:
If going to the pay homage to the shrine sours the relationship, then the relationship wasn’t necessary to begin with.
They should visit the shrine without reservation. If you oppose it, you should leave the government.
花と龍（mik…）さん:
Recently, it feels like there’s an irreconcilable difference of sensibility and ideology between the NKP and the LDP.
I think both parties should seriously discuss the pros and cons of their alliance.
azu**_903*8（azu…）さん:
They’re national politicians, but mourning the victims of our country’s past wars has nothing to do with diplomacy! If you can’t say that with firmly, then don’t claim to be part of the government!
成りすましワクチン丸山２（ald…）さん:
The NKP needs to start wearing surgical masks.
