'War Shrine' Yasukuni Holds Souls of朝鲜 (Joseon) Victims; Descendants Plead for Removal

A gathering in Tokyo on August 9, 2026, brought together activists and scholars to protest the enshrinement of Korean spirits at the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japan's militaristic past. Organized by groups including the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Atonement and the Japanese Committee for Joint Action Against Yasukuni, the event, titled '2026 Candlelight for Peace in Yasukuni's Darkness – Tokyo Candlelight Action,' featured calls to withdraw the spirits.

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If SDF members fall in battle, there will be arguments to enshrine them at Yasukuni Shrine, showing how close the two are.

Tetsuya Takahashi, an emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo, expressed concern over the strengthening ties between the shrine and the Self-Defense Forces, noting that some advocate for enshrining fallen SDF members. He argued that attempts to de-secularize Yasukuni for political reasons violate the principle of separation of church and state, asserting that the SDF operates under civilian command, not as the Emperor's army of the past.

Masayoshi Ishihara, a professor at Okinawa International University, criticized the enshrinement of Okinawan civilians, including infants, who died during the 1945 battle, as a manipulation of information by the Japanese government to evade war responsibility and war crimes. The protest underscored the enduring pain of Koreans who suffered under Japanese colonial rule, with approximately 20,000 Korean souls enshrined at Yasukuni among the 2.46 million spirits, including 14 Class-A war criminals.

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The attempt to de-secularize Yasukuni Shrine for political purposes is itself an unconstitutional idea that goes against the principle of separation of church and state.

Descendants of forced laborers and victims of Japanese colonial rule shared their anguish. Lee Hee-ja, daughter of forced conscription victim Lee Sa-hyeon, described the enshrinement as a desecration of her father's memory and a continuation of the war's impact on her life. Jang Jin-hwa, daughter of Jang Cheon-ok, lamented that her father, enshrined under the Japanese name 'Natsuyama Chikyoku,' was forced to die and is now grouped with war criminals, causing deep humiliation.

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This is a manipulation of information by the Japanese government to avoid state responsibility for the war and to absolve the Japanese military of its war crimes.

Lawyers representing Korean families in lawsuits against the Japanese government and Yasukuni Shrine highlighted the ongoing struggle. Jang Wan-ik, head of the legal team for the 'Lawsuit to Withdraw the Unlawful Enshrinement of Koreans at Yasukuni,' urged for the resolution of these lawsuits while the surviving family members are still alive. Following the symposium, a candlelight procession of about 200 Korean and Japanese citizens marched through the streets near Yasukuni Shrine.

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The Yasukuni enshrinement cancellation is a duty and obligation as a child to not let my father be insulted as someone who supported the war. The war that ended in 1945 is still ongoing for me.