North Korea strongly condemns Japan's visit to Yasukuni... “A disgraceful act that raises the specter of militarism”

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Boram Yoon = North Korea fiercely criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's offering of tributes at the Yasukuni Shrine and politicians' group visits, calling them "disgraceful acts that raise the specter of militarism."

The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 20th that a spokesperson for the Association of Victims of Victims of Forced Prisoners of North Korea and their Families stated this in a statement titled, “The visit to Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese political figures who summon the specter of militarism is absolutely unacceptable.”

The spokesperson criticized, "Japan's right-wing conservative politicians once again held tributes and paid homage to Yasukuni Shrine on the occasion of the fall festival. This is a total denial of the blood-stained history of past invasions, and at the same time, it is an expression of dangerous militaristic mania aimed at achieving the vain dream of a 'Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere' by inciting pluralism in Japanese society. This cannot be justified by any excuse or pretext."

He continued, "What cannot be overlooked is that the Japanese reactionaries, who are rushing to revive a warring state by blatantly throwing away signs that have been held up as symbols of a so-called 'peaceful nation' such as 'Total Defense', 'Three Principles of Arms Export', and 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles', are trying to drive the new militarism craze even harder by talking about 'creating an environment that can make the Prime Minister's visit to Yasukuni Shrine a reality'."

At the same time, he urged, "Japanese politicians should keep in mind that the only thing they can gain from their collective shrine visitation is the fate of the second Tojo (Tojo Hideki), and they should stand before the international community that hopes for justice and peace with a correct attitude toward history and a sincere apology and compensation for their eternal sins."

On the 17th and 19th, Prime Minister Takaichi offered tributes and money to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined. Some cabinet ministers and politicians came to visit the shrine one after another.