(LEAD) Japan PM refrains from visit to Yasukuni Shrine, but stops short of mentioning 'remorse'

Takaichi Sends Offering but Stays Away

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent an offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Aug. 15, marking the 81st anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, but did not visit the shrine in person, according to Yonhap News. The offering was made in her capacity as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Before taking office, Takaichi had visited the shrine annually on Aug. 15, but she is believed to have refrained from doing so as prime minister in consideration of strong protests that such a visit would spark from neighboring countries South Korea and China, the South Korean news agency reported.

While the prime minister stayed away, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs Hitoshi Kikawada paid a visit to the shrine, along with a group of LDP leaders, Yonhap reported.

Speech Omits 'Remorse'

In her address later in the day, Takaichi failed to mention "remorse" in a speech mourning the war dead, a departure from her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, who had pledged to renounce war and keep in mind Japan's "remorse" over the war, Yonhap reported. The prime minister instead said that the "horrors of war must never be repeated" and that Japan has "consistently walked the path of a nation that values peace and made all possible efforts for world peace and prosperity."

The shrine honors Japan's war dead, including 14 Class A war criminals, and neighboring countries view shrine visits by Japanese leaders as an attempt to beautify the country's militaristic past, according to Yonhap.

Taiwan's Response: Respecting Views, Hoping for Reflection

In Taipei, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung on Aug. 19 said the government "respects" different views in Japan regarding senior officials' visits to the shrine, but also hopes Tokyo will reflect on its wartime aggression, reported Focus Taiwan, a Taiwanese news outlet.

"We recognize and respect the diversity of views within Japanese society regarding these issues. We look forward to [Japan's] continuous reflection - ensuring that the crime of waging war is never repeated - while also anticipating joint efforts [between Taipei and Tokyo] to uphold regional peace and stability," Lin said, as quoted by Focus Taiwan. "We hope that current Taiwan-Japan relations will contribute to peace in the region," he added.

Lin was responding to questions from Kuomintang (KMT) opposition lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao about what he described as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MOFA) relatively soft remarks on the visits, which drew immediate diplomatic protests and strong condemnation from China and South Korea, according to Focus Taiwan. MOFA, however, had only expressed respect for different views in Japan regarding the visits, drawing criticism from the KMT and the smaller Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which described the ministry's response as too soft.

Asked to comment on the accusations, Lin clarified that his ministry's statement respected "different views in Japan concerning their Cabinet officials' visits to the shrine," rather than the visits themselves, as reported by Focus Taiwan. Asked whether Japan was the invader during World War II, Lin responded, "Of course it was the invader."

The shrine honors approximately 2.5 million people who died fighting for Japan, among them about 28,000 Taiwanese soldiers and civilian workers, and 14 Class-A war criminals enshrined in 1978, reported Focus Taiwan.

Regional Reactions and Context

The visits by Japanese Cabinet members on Aug. 15, 2026, drew immediate diplomatic protests and strong condemnation from China and South Korea, according to Focus Taiwan. Yonhap's reporting framed Takaichi's restraint as a response to these regional concerns, while noting that the shrine's status as a symbol of Japan's imperialistic past remains a point of contention with neighboring countries.

Takaichi's decision to send an offering rather than visit in person, combined with the omission of "remorse" in her speech, has been interpreted by Yonhap as a carefully calibrated position balancing domestic expectations and international sensitivities.