(Reuters) — Hundreds of Japanese nationalists marched to Yasukuni shrine on Saturday (August 15), where leaders convicted as war criminals by Allied Tribunal are honored with war dead, to mark the 70th anniversary since the end of World War Two.
The majority of participants from the nationalist group “Ganbare Nippon” carried Japanese flags and shouted “Banzai” at the gates of the shrine, after having quietly marching through the streets.
The shrine has been a symbol of conflict between Japan and its East Asian neighbors, South Korea and China. The shrine is seen by critics such as China, parts of which were occupied by Japan before and during World War Two, and South Korea, where bitter memories of Japan’s 1910-1945 colonization persist, as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism, because it honors wartime leaders convicted by an Allied Tribunal as war criminals along with millions of war dead.
Japanese housewife Hiroko Hashitsume who joined the group said August 15th is a special day for Japanese people, and it’s a time for Japanese people to pay respect for war dead.
“August 15th is a special day for Japanese people, as we can pay respect especially to the war dead enshrined in Yasukuni shrine, and share the understanding that we can have today’s peace because of those soldiers who gave their lives,” Hashitsume said.
Sixty-seven year old Tenei Nishi, another participant, also said march is not only his way of paying respect for the war dead, but to also pray that Japan becomes a good country.
“(I joined to) pay respect to the war dead, and because of the feeling that we must make Japan a good country,” Nishi said.
Ganbare Nippon (“Stand Firm, Japan”) is not officially affiliated with any political party but its members have organized rallies to support Abe and visited Yasukuni, carrying Japanese flags and banners.